Human Development Report has released its latest report on Singapore @ hdrstats.undp.org/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_SGP.html.
Under the section Climate Change, it says:
With 0.1% of the world's population, Singapore accounts for 0.2% of global emissions - an average of 12.3 tonnes of CO2 per person. If all countries in the world were to emit CO2 at levels similar to Singapore's, we would exceed our sustainable carbon budget by approximately 453%.
High-income OECD countries meanwhile lead the league of "CO2 transgressors". With just 15% of the world’s population, they account for almost half of all emissions. If the entire world emitted like High-income OECD countries -an average of 13.2 tonnes of CO2 per person, we would be emitting 6 times our sustainable carbon budget.
Singapore has signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol. As a non-Annex I Party to the Protocol, Singapore is not bound by specific targets for greenhouse gas emissions.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Jaslyn Go's Account Of The Trial
One of the Tak Boleh Tahan! defendants have blogged about the trial. Read her full entry @ jaslyngo.sgpolitics.net. Here are excerpts:
The 2nd day of trial started with DPP finally providing some answers to the provision of the video recording which the Police intended to adduce as evidence.
We returned to court at 2pm to view the video together. We all had a good laugh as this is the first time after the protest that the TBT 18 sat down and re-lived the experience of the protest. As we viewed the video. We were laughing away at some of the scenes. e.g. when Seelan was dragged and the police videographer was focusing on Seelan's shoes.. Seelan lifted up his legs and commented that he is still wearing the same pair.
We also laughed at the silliness of ASP Willam Goh insisting that we move from the junction when the traffic light was clearly red.
Jufri Mahmood questioned the witness if she (a Police Staff Sergent) knew what gazetted actually meant but DPP objected to that citing irrelevance to which John made a very good rebuttal as he pointed out that even she as a Police Staff Sergent is not aware of Parliament House being a gazetted area and why are the rest of us laymen expected to reasonably ought to have known, hence he believe the relevance to Jufri Mahmood questioning of her understanding of the word "gazetted".
The 2nd day of trial started with DPP finally providing some answers to the provision of the video recording which the Police intended to adduce as evidence.
We returned to court at 2pm to view the video together. We all had a good laugh as this is the first time after the protest that the TBT 18 sat down and re-lived the experience of the protest. As we viewed the video. We were laughing away at some of the scenes. e.g. when Seelan was dragged and the police videographer was focusing on Seelan's shoes.. Seelan lifted up his legs and commented that he is still wearing the same pair.
We also laughed at the silliness of ASP Willam Goh insisting that we move from the junction when the traffic light was clearly red.
Jufri Mahmood questioned the witness if she (a Police Staff Sergent) knew what gazetted actually meant but DPP objected to that citing irrelevance to which John made a very good rebuttal as he pointed out that even she as a Police Staff Sergent is not aware of Parliament House being a gazetted area and why are the rest of us laymen expected to reasonably ought to have known, hence he believe the relevance to Jufri Mahmood questioning of her understanding of the word "gazetted".
Count On Him PM Lee
The Singapore economy looks gloomy for 2009 but we should trust that our nation's leaders will know what to do. Like Dick Lee sang in this excellent performance, "Count on him PM Lee!"
Singapore Economy To Remain Weak In 2009
Channel NewsAsia reported today that Singapore's economy, which is already in a technical recession, will remain weak in 2009 on projections the global economic outlook will deteriorate further, the central bank said Tuesday.
As a financial crisis evolves to impact economic activity worldwide, the city-state is likely to be hammered given its heavy exposure to external demand, the Monetary Authority (MAS) said in its Macro Economic Review.
"Looking ahead, the outlook for the global economy has deteriorated amidst heightened risk aversion and deleveraging in the financial sector," MAS said.
As a small and open trading economy, Singapore is vulnerable to any downturn in its major export markets such as the United States, Europe, China, India and Japan.
"The risks to external demand conditions continue to be on the downside, and a more severe global slowdown cannot be discounted," the MAS warned.
"Taking all these factors into account GDP growth is expected to be around 3.0 per cent in 2008, and the economy will continue to grow below its potential rate into 2009," the MAS said.
Prospects for a recovery late next year hinge on the performance of key global economies, it said.
As a financial crisis evolves to impact economic activity worldwide, the city-state is likely to be hammered given its heavy exposure to external demand, the Monetary Authority (MAS) said in its Macro Economic Review.
"Looking ahead, the outlook for the global economy has deteriorated amidst heightened risk aversion and deleveraging in the financial sector," MAS said.
As a small and open trading economy, Singapore is vulnerable to any downturn in its major export markets such as the United States, Europe, China, India and Japan.
"The risks to external demand conditions continue to be on the downside, and a more severe global slowdown cannot be discounted," the MAS warned.
"Taking all these factors into account GDP growth is expected to be around 3.0 per cent in 2008, and the economy will continue to grow below its potential rate into 2009," the MAS said.
Prospects for a recovery late next year hinge on the performance of key global economies, it said.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Discord Among Defendants
The Straits Times reported on October 25, 2008 that some of the defendants in the Tak Boleh Tahan! trial could not see eye-to-eye on a number of matters. Excerpts from the news story:
At one point, lawyer Chia Ti Lik, a defendant, interrupted fellow defendant Yap Keng Ho's cross-examination to say: "Your Honour, I do no see the relevance of this line of questioning. And I wonder why the DPP (Deputy Public Prosecutor) has not objected."
Yap had been questioning the police photographer on the type of flash she used to take pictures of the scene. He said it was to establish the authenticity of the photos.
One, 27-year-old Chong Kai Xiong, disagreed with Yap's assessment that there was something wrong with the pictures. Another, 58-year-old Jufrie Mahmood, said, "I'm getting the impression that Mr Yap is applying for a post in the police force."
Earlier in the day, Yap was also rebuked by a fellow defendant, after he accused District Judge Chia Wee Kiat of "giving evidence from the Bench and answering questions on behalf of the witness."
He made the remark after the judge, in response to a question on when the photos were taken, pointed out the date was stated on the cover of the book of photos.
Instantly, Mr R. Thrumurgan, who is representing two of the defendants, stood up and retorted: "I feel compelled to respond to Mr Yap. His submission and objection is of no basis at all."
Towards the end of the day, Yap and several defendants asked the judge that they be tried separately from the others. They had made a similar request a day earlier. The judge turned down their requests both times.
At one point, lawyer Chia Ti Lik, a defendant, interrupted fellow defendant Yap Keng Ho's cross-examination to say: "Your Honour, I do no see the relevance of this line of questioning. And I wonder why the DPP (Deputy Public Prosecutor) has not objected."
Yap had been questioning the police photographer on the type of flash she used to take pictures of the scene. He said it was to establish the authenticity of the photos.
One, 27-year-old Chong Kai Xiong, disagreed with Yap's assessment that there was something wrong with the pictures. Another, 58-year-old Jufrie Mahmood, said, "I'm getting the impression that Mr Yap is applying for a post in the police force."
Earlier in the day, Yap was also rebuked by a fellow defendant, after he accused District Judge Chia Wee Kiat of "giving evidence from the Bench and answering questions on behalf of the witness."
He made the remark after the judge, in response to a question on when the photos were taken, pointed out the date was stated on the cover of the book of photos.
Instantly, Mr R. Thrumurgan, who is representing two of the defendants, stood up and retorted: "I feel compelled to respond to Mr Yap. His submission and objection is of no basis at all."
Towards the end of the day, Yap and several defendants asked the judge that they be tried separately from the others. They had made a similar request a day earlier. The judge turned down their requests both times.
Tak Boleh Tahan! Trial Day 1 Video
Watch this video (put up by Seelan Palay on YouTube) about the 18 Singaporean activists charged for protesting outside Parliament House in March this year aka the Tak Boleh Tahan! trial.
Why Treat Them Like Lepers?
This letter by S. Murali was published in The New Paper on October 24, 2008.
ALL RIGHT, here we go again.
Bright ideas to house foreign workers:
Put them on a floating platform, or perhaps a floating island.
Build separate roads for them. Provide them with their own shops, so that they don't have to mingle with the rest of us.
Hey, why stop there?
Why not dig underground and build them some tunnels to live in?
Better still, to save cost, just build extensions to existing MRT tunnelling.
Then we won't have to look at these workers at all, only when they come up for air and to do our dirty work.
Are you people listening to yourselves?
These are HUMAN BEINGS we are talking about.
Some of you won't even treat your precious pets this way. Is this what it means to become a 'first world' nation?
That you treat everyone else from the 'third world' like lepers?
I'm sorry, but some of the ideas that have been 'floated' on this issue make me nauseous.
Get off my sky-high horse and provide solutions, you say?
Here's a novel idea: Let them live amongst us.
Build good quality dorms in housing estates, so that they can get a good night's sleep and still be near amenities such as shops and post offices.
How would I like it if they built a dorm next to my house? Come do, I say.
There is an open field in front of my house at Block 261, Bishan Street 22, which is earmarked as a possible site to build another condominium.
Build a dorm there.
Could there be inconveniences to me and the others living there, as a result? Sure.
More people in a small area is a hassle.
But it is people that we are talking about here.
And I am okay with people.
It's bigots that I have a problem with.
ALL RIGHT, here we go again.
Bright ideas to house foreign workers:
Put them on a floating platform, or perhaps a floating island.
Build separate roads for them. Provide them with their own shops, so that they don't have to mingle with the rest of us.
Hey, why stop there?
Why not dig underground and build them some tunnels to live in?
Better still, to save cost, just build extensions to existing MRT tunnelling.
Then we won't have to look at these workers at all, only when they come up for air and to do our dirty work.
Are you people listening to yourselves?
These are HUMAN BEINGS we are talking about.
Some of you won't even treat your precious pets this way. Is this what it means to become a 'first world' nation?
That you treat everyone else from the 'third world' like lepers?
I'm sorry, but some of the ideas that have been 'floated' on this issue make me nauseous.
Get off my sky-high horse and provide solutions, you say?
Here's a novel idea: Let them live amongst us.
Build good quality dorms in housing estates, so that they can get a good night's sleep and still be near amenities such as shops and post offices.
How would I like it if they built a dorm next to my house? Come do, I say.
There is an open field in front of my house at Block 261, Bishan Street 22, which is earmarked as a possible site to build another condominium.
Build a dorm there.
Could there be inconveniences to me and the others living there, as a result? Sure.
More people in a small area is a hassle.
But it is people that we are talking about here.
And I am okay with people.
It's bigots that I have a problem with.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Singapore's Press Freedom Ranking Drops From 141 To 144
The World Press Freedom Index 2008 has ranked Singapore 144 out of 173 countries. This is a three point drop from last year. Among the countries ranked below Singapore are Rwanda (145), China (167), Myanmar (170) and North Korea (172). The African nation of Eritrea is bottom of the list. Countries slightly above Singapore in the ranking include Cambodia (126), Malaysia (132), Sudan (135), Nepal (138) and Philippines (139).
The Reporters Without Borders index measures the state of press freedom in the world. It reflects the degree of freedom that journalists and news organisations enjoy in each country, and the efforts made by the authorities to respect and ensure respect for this freedom.
The Top 10 countries:
1. Iceland
2. Luxembourg
3. Norway
4. Estonia
5. Finland
6. Ireland
7. Belgium
8. Latvia
9. New Zealand
10. Slovakia
Read the Reporters Without Borders report and view the World Press Freedom Index 2008 at www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29031
The Reporters Without Borders index measures the state of press freedom in the world. It reflects the degree of freedom that journalists and news organisations enjoy in each country, and the efforts made by the authorities to respect and ensure respect for this freedom.
The Top 10 countries:
1. Iceland
2. Luxembourg
3. Norway
4. Estonia
5. Finland
6. Ireland
7. Belgium
8. Latvia
9. New Zealand
10. Slovakia
Read the Reporters Without Borders report and view the World Press Freedom Index 2008 at www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29031
Two Fined For Taking Part In Protest
Ng E-Jay has revealed his reason for pleading guilty to the illegal assembly charge on his blog at www.sgpolitics.net.
Dr Chee Soon Juan applied in court on Friday to the trial judge to dismiss the charges brought against the 17 activists because these charges go against the Singapore Constitution. He made these points to District Judge Chia Wee Kiat. Read his arguments at yoursdp.org.
Channel News Asia ran this story on 24 October 2008:
Two men involved in a protest against recent price hikes have been fined a total of S$1,800.
31-year-old PhD student, Ng E-Jay, and 44-year-old freelance offshore engineer, Jeffrey George, admitted to taking part in an unlawful demonstration dubbed the "Tak Boleh Tahan" protest near Parliament House on March 15 this year.
They, together with 17 other similarly accused persons – including Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Secretary-General Chee Soon Juan, his sister Chee Siok Chin and lawyer Chia Ti Lik – turned up in full force at the Subordinate Court on Thursday with their supporters.
While nearly all of them claimed trial, Ng and George did otherwise and threw in the towel.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Isaac Tan said the two men took part in the rally even after they found out from the SDP website that a permit was not granted for the event.
In his mitigation, Ng's lawyer, Dennis Chua, said his client took part in the protest as he was "very passionate" about issues on how the rising cost of living affected the average Singaporean.
He told District Judge Ch'ng Lye Beng that Ng was an "offender of conscience" and had no intention to cause any mischief during the rally.
Ng was fined S$600 for taking part in the illegal assembly and George was fined a similar amount for the same offence. At a separate hearing later in the evening, the latter was fined a further S$600 for taking part in an illegal procession.
DPP Tan informed District Judge Liew Thiam Leng that on that day, George had walked from the driveway of the Parliament House towards the nearby Funan DigitaLife Mall.
Police ordered George and the other alleged protesters to halt, but they refused to do so. The authorities arrested them after repeated warnings, said DPP Tan.
The remaining 17 accused persons intend to proceed to trial on Friday.
Dr Chee Soon Juan applied in court on Friday to the trial judge to dismiss the charges brought against the 17 activists because these charges go against the Singapore Constitution. He made these points to District Judge Chia Wee Kiat. Read his arguments at yoursdp.org.
Channel News Asia ran this story on 24 October 2008:
Two men involved in a protest against recent price hikes have been fined a total of S$1,800.
31-year-old PhD student, Ng E-Jay, and 44-year-old freelance offshore engineer, Jeffrey George, admitted to taking part in an unlawful demonstration dubbed the "Tak Boleh Tahan" protest near Parliament House on March 15 this year.
They, together with 17 other similarly accused persons – including Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Secretary-General Chee Soon Juan, his sister Chee Siok Chin and lawyer Chia Ti Lik – turned up in full force at the Subordinate Court on Thursday with their supporters.
While nearly all of them claimed trial, Ng and George did otherwise and threw in the towel.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Isaac Tan said the two men took part in the rally even after they found out from the SDP website that a permit was not granted for the event.
In his mitigation, Ng's lawyer, Dennis Chua, said his client took part in the protest as he was "very passionate" about issues on how the rising cost of living affected the average Singaporean.
He told District Judge Ch'ng Lye Beng that Ng was an "offender of conscience" and had no intention to cause any mischief during the rally.
Ng was fined S$600 for taking part in the illegal assembly and George was fined a similar amount for the same offence. At a separate hearing later in the evening, the latter was fined a further S$600 for taking part in an illegal procession.
DPP Tan informed District Judge Liew Thiam Leng that on that day, George had walked from the driveway of the Parliament House towards the nearby Funan DigitaLife Mall.
Police ordered George and the other alleged protesters to halt, but they refused to do so. The authorities arrested them after repeated warnings, said DPP Tan.
The remaining 17 accused persons intend to proceed to trial on Friday.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
MM Lee On "Assortative Mating"
Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew first brought this up in the early 1980s but it is possibly the first time he gave it a fancy name: "assortative mating".
According to Channel News Asia, LKY explained to the 700 delegates at the Human Capital Summit in Singapore yesterday that "assortative mating" means "finding a spouse that is at your level".
“That’s the way the world is. If I have explained this, I think I will lose votes after I explain the awful truth. Nobody believes it, but slowly it will dawn on them, especially the graduates, yes. You marry a non-graduate, then you are going to worry if your son or daughter is going to make it to the university,” added MM Lee.
Watch the MM Lee speech on Channel News Asia (thanks to Wayang Party for putting this up)
Also from the Wayang Party website, past reminders that LKY always held this belief (as evidenced by his past National Day rally speeches):
“If you don’t include your women graduates in your breeding pool and leave them on the shelf, you would end up a more stupid society… So what happens? There will be less bright people to support dumb people in the next generation. That’s a problem.” - 1983 National Day Rally speech
“We must encourage those who earn less than $200 per month and cannot afford to nurture and educate many children never to have more than two… We will regret the time lost if we do not now take the first tentative steps towards correcting a trend which can leave our society with a large number of the physically, intellectually and culturally anaemic“. - 1967 National Day Rally speech
After the then-Prime Minister's speech in 1983, the government set up the Social Development Unit (SDU) in 1984 to “promote marriage among graduate singles".
According to Channel News Asia, LKY explained to the 700 delegates at the Human Capital Summit in Singapore yesterday that "assortative mating" means "finding a spouse that is at your level".
“That’s the way the world is. If I have explained this, I think I will lose votes after I explain the awful truth. Nobody believes it, but slowly it will dawn on them, especially the graduates, yes. You marry a non-graduate, then you are going to worry if your son or daughter is going to make it to the university,” added MM Lee.
Watch the MM Lee speech on Channel News Asia (thanks to Wayang Party for putting this up)
Also from the Wayang Party website, past reminders that LKY always held this belief (as evidenced by his past National Day rally speeches):
“If you don’t include your women graduates in your breeding pool and leave them on the shelf, you would end up a more stupid society… So what happens? There will be less bright people to support dumb people in the next generation. That’s a problem.” - 1983 National Day Rally speech
“We must encourage those who earn less than $200 per month and cannot afford to nurture and educate many children never to have more than two… We will regret the time lost if we do not now take the first tentative steps towards correcting a trend which can leave our society with a large number of the physically, intellectually and culturally anaemic“. - 1967 National Day Rally speech
After the then-Prime Minister's speech in 1983, the government set up the Social Development Unit (SDU) in 1984 to “promote marriage among graduate singles".
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Illegal Assembly Trial Begins
The Straits Times ran this story about the Tak Boleh Tahan! trial:
It was a lively start to the first day of court proceedings for 19 people accused of demonstrating in front of Parliament House in March.
The 19, who include Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan and his sister Chee Siok Chin, have been charged with taking part in an illegal assembly and a subsequent procession.
The group piled into Court 5 of the Subordinate Courts at 9.30am on Thursday, and extra chairs had to be put in place to accommodate all of them.
The public gallery was filled with about 20 people, including supporters of the SDP and those on trial.
Amid the noise and commotion as the defendants were taking their seats before proceedings started, one of them, blogger Yap Keng Ho, 45, remarked to the rest: 'This is the largest pasar malam in the history of Singapore'.
During the course of proceedings before District Judge Chia Wee Kiat, several of those who were charged rose to ask questions or make applications.
There were requests for copies video clips taken by the police of the March 15 event; one accused sought an adjournment as he wanted to get back to his job; and one asked for the Court to observe a minute's silence for the late opposition politician JB Jeyaretnam, who was to have represented several of the activists.
But the first order of formal business on Thursday morning for District Judge Chia was to deal with the decision by one of the accused, blogger Ng E-Jay, 31, who said that he was pleading guilty.
He told The Straits Times that he had decided to do so just on Wednesday.
Proceedings were then adjourned so that his case could be dealt with before the trial of the remaining 18 accused could continue.
Ng was fined $600, or six days in jail in default, after he admitted to the charge.
From sgpolitics.net: Ng E-Jay wrote that he will be writing a personal statement soon on why he pleaded guilty to one charge (the procession charge was stood down in his case).
It was a lively start to the first day of court proceedings for 19 people accused of demonstrating in front of Parliament House in March.
The 19, who include Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan and his sister Chee Siok Chin, have been charged with taking part in an illegal assembly and a subsequent procession.
The group piled into Court 5 of the Subordinate Courts at 9.30am on Thursday, and extra chairs had to be put in place to accommodate all of them.
The public gallery was filled with about 20 people, including supporters of the SDP and those on trial.
Amid the noise and commotion as the defendants were taking their seats before proceedings started, one of them, blogger Yap Keng Ho, 45, remarked to the rest: 'This is the largest pasar malam in the history of Singapore'.
During the course of proceedings before District Judge Chia Wee Kiat, several of those who were charged rose to ask questions or make applications.
There were requests for copies video clips taken by the police of the March 15 event; one accused sought an adjournment as he wanted to get back to his job; and one asked for the Court to observe a minute's silence for the late opposition politician JB Jeyaretnam, who was to have represented several of the activists.
But the first order of formal business on Thursday morning for District Judge Chia was to deal with the decision by one of the accused, blogger Ng E-Jay, 31, who said that he was pleading guilty.
He told The Straits Times that he had decided to do so just on Wednesday.
Proceedings were then adjourned so that his case could be dealt with before the trial of the remaining 18 accused could continue.
Ng was fined $600, or six days in jail in default, after he admitted to the charge.
From sgpolitics.net: Ng E-Jay wrote that he will be writing a personal statement soon on why he pleaded guilty to one charge (the procession charge was stood down in his case).
MOE To Curb Misleading Ads By Private Schools
The Ministry of Education (MOE) has finally come out to say it will have clearer rules in place to curb false and misleading advertisements by private schools.
Channel News Asia reported that the MOE said the rules will cover the proper use of quality labels, symbols and trademarks by private schools in advertisements and promotional material.
The institutions should also refrain from making untruthful claims about the school and its courses.
Education Minister Ng Eng Hen gave this update on Wednesday in a written reply to questions from Members of Parliament on the regulation and supervision of private schools.
This is part of MOE’s efforts to strengthen the current regulatory framework for private education.
MOE announced in March it will set up an independent Council for Private Education to enforce the enhanced regulatory regime.
Dr Ng said the Council will have the necessary powers to direct corrective measures if private school operators publish misleading advertisements.
The Council will also promote a better understanding of private education sector through consumer awareness and public education programmes to help potential students make informed choices when enrolling for private school courses.
News source: Channel News Asia
Channel News Asia reported that the MOE said the rules will cover the proper use of quality labels, symbols and trademarks by private schools in advertisements and promotional material.
The institutions should also refrain from making untruthful claims about the school and its courses.
Education Minister Ng Eng Hen gave this update on Wednesday in a written reply to questions from Members of Parliament on the regulation and supervision of private schools.
This is part of MOE’s efforts to strengthen the current regulatory framework for private education.
MOE announced in March it will set up an independent Council for Private Education to enforce the enhanced regulatory regime.
Dr Ng said the Council will have the necessary powers to direct corrective measures if private school operators publish misleading advertisements.
The Council will also promote a better understanding of private education sector through consumer awareness and public education programmes to help potential students make informed choices when enrolling for private school courses.
News source: Channel News Asia
Singapore Government: Defamation Suits Are Necessary
The Singapore government has defended itself against a charge of using defamation suits to stifle dissent, saying they are necessary for protection against unfounded allegations by political opponents.
In response to Human Rights Watch's appeal for Singapore's leaders to stop using libel suits to silence its critics, information ministry spokeswoman K. Bhavani said, "In Singapore, opposition politicians have the right to criticise the government and government leaders, but that does not entitle them to tell lies or defame."
He added, "If they do, the leaders must either sue to clear their names and be prepared to be cross examined in open court, or allow the lies to stand unchallenged and the public to believe that the defamations are true."
A judge this month ordered the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), its bankrupt secretary general Chee Soon Juan and his sister, a party member, to pay 610,000 dollars (413,000 US) for defaming the country's leaders.
Human Rights Watch said using defamation laws against critics "makes a mockery of Singapore's claim to be a model democracy."
In response to Human Rights Watch's appeal for Singapore's leaders to stop using libel suits to silence its critics, information ministry spokeswoman K. Bhavani said, "In Singapore, opposition politicians have the right to criticise the government and government leaders, but that does not entitle them to tell lies or defame."
He added, "If they do, the leaders must either sue to clear their names and be prepared to be cross examined in open court, or allow the lies to stand unchallenged and the public to believe that the defamations are true."
A judge this month ordered the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), its bankrupt secretary general Chee Soon Juan and his sister, a party member, to pay 610,000 dollars (413,000 US) for defaming the country's leaders.
Human Rights Watch said using defamation laws against critics "makes a mockery of Singapore's claim to be a model democracy."
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Tak Boleh Tahan!
The trial for the 18 activists charged for protesting outside Parliament House in March this year will begin this Thursday in the Subordinate Courts. It is scheduled to last till 7 Nov 08. Show your support by attending the trial at Subordinate Court No. 5 at 9:30am tomorrow.
According to the Singapore Democrats website, the hearing is the first in the history of Singapore where a group of activists defied the law prohibiting the gathering of 5 or more persons in public. The protest was part of the Tak Boleh Tahan! (can't take it anymore) campaign to highlight poverty in Singapore and the Government's greed in continuing to raise fees and prices even as wages of the people shrink.
The protesters had gathered outside Parliament House on 15 Mar 08 which is also World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD). They were confronted by the police whereupon 12 of them were arrested. They and six others were subsequently charged on two counts:
1. under Section 5(4)(b) Chapter 184 of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public and Nuisance Act) for participating in an assembly,
2. under Section 5(4)(b) Chapter 184 of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public and Nuisance Act) for participating in a procession..
The activists are not only challenging the law as unconstitutional but also the selective enforcement of the law by the police. The Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE) also conducted protests on the same occasion in 2007 and 2008 outside Parliament House but the police did not act against them. CASE is headed by PAP MPs Mr Yeo Guat Kwang (Aljunied GRC) and Dr Teo Ho Pin (Bukit Panjang).
To follow the trial proceedings, please log on to http://yoursdp.org.
The 18 activists charged:
Gandhi Ambalam
Chia Ti Lik
Chong Kai Xiong
Jeffrey George
Jaslyn Go
Chee Siok Chin
Govindan Rajan
Chee Soon Juan
Jufrie Mahmood
Jufri Salim
Surayah Akbar
Ng E-Jay
Seelan Palay
Shafi'ie
Carl Lang
John Tan
Francis Yong
Sylvester Lim
According to the Singapore Democrats website, the hearing is the first in the history of Singapore where a group of activists defied the law prohibiting the gathering of 5 or more persons in public. The protest was part of the Tak Boleh Tahan! (can't take it anymore) campaign to highlight poverty in Singapore and the Government's greed in continuing to raise fees and prices even as wages of the people shrink.
The protesters had gathered outside Parliament House on 15 Mar 08 which is also World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD). They were confronted by the police whereupon 12 of them were arrested. They and six others were subsequently charged on two counts:
1. under Section 5(4)(b) Chapter 184 of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public and Nuisance Act) for participating in an assembly,
2. under Section 5(4)(b) Chapter 184 of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public and Nuisance Act) for participating in a procession..
The activists are not only challenging the law as unconstitutional but also the selective enforcement of the law by the police. The Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE) also conducted protests on the same occasion in 2007 and 2008 outside Parliament House but the police did not act against them. CASE is headed by PAP MPs Mr Yeo Guat Kwang (Aljunied GRC) and Dr Teo Ho Pin (Bukit Panjang).
To follow the trial proceedings, please log on to http://yoursdp.org.
The 18 activists charged:
Gandhi Ambalam
Chia Ti Lik
Chong Kai Xiong
Jeffrey George
Jaslyn Go
Chee Siok Chin
Govindan Rajan
Chee Soon Juan
Jufrie Mahmood
Jufri Salim
Surayah Akbar
Ng E-Jay
Seelan Palay
Shafi'ie
Carl Lang
John Tan
Francis Yong
Sylvester Lim
Racism At Sarah Palin's Rally In Ohio
The US Presidential Election campaigning is heading into its final two weeks and racism is rearing its ugly head. Watch this news report by Al Jazeera.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Singapore's Shame
Diana Francis, Editor at Large for the National Post, wrote this in her blog/column on October 21, 2008. Here is a portion from her blog/column. You can read the entire article and the Q&A with Dr. Chee @ http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/francis/default.aspx
Singapore's Shame
Singapore represents itself as a democracy with the rule of law and a good place to live and do business.
But Singapore is a bully and its strong-arm tactics against critics, domestic or foreign, is unrecognized by the rest of the world, thanks to its carefully crafted public relations strategy designed to show the city-state as a model of government, democracy, economic development and the rule of law.
“The frustrating thing is that people continue to see Singapore as a rules-based society. I want the international community to realize the abuses,” said opposition leader Dr. Chee Soon Juan in an exclusive telephone interview yesterday from his home in Singapore with the National Post. “Fortunately, International organizations are getting involved like Lawyers Rights Watch, the International Bar Association, the International Commission of Jurists. All have criticize Singapore.”
Dr. Chee should know. His saga since 1992 reads like the Book of Job and shows that the reality is the city-state of five million people is an autocracy whose leaders use dafamation lawsuits and other court techniques to harass Chee or any other democratic activists, the media or corporate entities which fall out of favor.
This Thursday, Dr. Chee, secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party, will be on trial for the eighth time in a handful of years. This time he is accused of the “crime” of holding a meeting with more than five persons without a permit. The Singapore constitution guarantees freedom of opinion, expression and assembly.
“Every time we applied for a permit we have been turned down and the minister said that he would never grant a permit,” said Dr. Chee.
His ordeal began after he joined the opposition party and criticized the cronyism and secrecy of the Singaporean government. Since then, lawsuits have bankrupted him personally, are about to bankrupt his political party, have sent him to jail because he is unable to pay fines anymore, have cost him his university position as a lecturer and denied him basic legal rights such as legal representation or the right to cross-examine or present a defense.
And every time he criticizes such unjust treatment he is sued for defamation, then fined huge amounts or sent to jail.
Singapore also muzzles the press. Local media is government-owned and foreigners have been harassed.
“International newspapers, the Dow Jones, Wall Street Journal, Far Eastern Economic Review, Time, the Economist, International Herald Tribune, Bloomberg have all been sued and/or prosecuted for making statements about these matters,” said Dr. Chee.
International effort underway
Fortunately, a team of lawyers, led by Canadian law firm Amsterdam & Peroff in Toronto, has been set up in order to help Dr. Chee defend himself in court and to embarrass Singapore before the world for its failure to uphold the rule of law. The team is headed by Bob Amsterdam (who defended Mikhail Khodorovsky and other high-profile Russians against the oppressive Putin regime), UK defamation expert Anthony Julius (who represented Lady Di) and American law professor William Burke-White.
"The Singaporean authorities are using the law to repress political rivals and as punishment,” said Amsterdam in a phone interview from his headquarters in London. "It's a myth that Singapore is a democracy, a complete myth.”
The team is going to help Dr. Chee represent himself in court and also intends to bring the injustice to the attention of the United Nations and others. They also intend to register the Singapore Democratic Party in their jurisdictions so that it may continue its work as an exiled entity.
Singapore's Shame
Singapore represents itself as a democracy with the rule of law and a good place to live and do business.
But Singapore is a bully and its strong-arm tactics against critics, domestic or foreign, is unrecognized by the rest of the world, thanks to its carefully crafted public relations strategy designed to show the city-state as a model of government, democracy, economic development and the rule of law.
“The frustrating thing is that people continue to see Singapore as a rules-based society. I want the international community to realize the abuses,” said opposition leader Dr. Chee Soon Juan in an exclusive telephone interview yesterday from his home in Singapore with the National Post. “Fortunately, International organizations are getting involved like Lawyers Rights Watch, the International Bar Association, the International Commission of Jurists. All have criticize Singapore.”
Dr. Chee should know. His saga since 1992 reads like the Book of Job and shows that the reality is the city-state of five million people is an autocracy whose leaders use dafamation lawsuits and other court techniques to harass Chee or any other democratic activists, the media or corporate entities which fall out of favor.
This Thursday, Dr. Chee, secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party, will be on trial for the eighth time in a handful of years. This time he is accused of the “crime” of holding a meeting with more than five persons without a permit. The Singapore constitution guarantees freedom of opinion, expression and assembly.
“Every time we applied for a permit we have been turned down and the minister said that he would never grant a permit,” said Dr. Chee.
His ordeal began after he joined the opposition party and criticized the cronyism and secrecy of the Singaporean government. Since then, lawsuits have bankrupted him personally, are about to bankrupt his political party, have sent him to jail because he is unable to pay fines anymore, have cost him his university position as a lecturer and denied him basic legal rights such as legal representation or the right to cross-examine or present a defense.
And every time he criticizes such unjust treatment he is sued for defamation, then fined huge amounts or sent to jail.
Singapore also muzzles the press. Local media is government-owned and foreigners have been harassed.
“International newspapers, the Dow Jones, Wall Street Journal, Far Eastern Economic Review, Time, the Economist, International Herald Tribune, Bloomberg have all been sued and/or prosecuted for making statements about these matters,” said Dr. Chee.
International effort underway
Fortunately, a team of lawyers, led by Canadian law firm Amsterdam & Peroff in Toronto, has been set up in order to help Dr. Chee defend himself in court and to embarrass Singapore before the world for its failure to uphold the rule of law. The team is headed by Bob Amsterdam (who defended Mikhail Khodorovsky and other high-profile Russians against the oppressive Putin regime), UK defamation expert Anthony Julius (who represented Lady Di) and American law professor William Burke-White.
"The Singaporean authorities are using the law to repress political rivals and as punishment,” said Amsterdam in a phone interview from his headquarters in London. "It's a myth that Singapore is a democracy, a complete myth.”
The team is going to help Dr. Chee represent himself in court and also intends to bring the injustice to the attention of the United Nations and others. They also intend to register the Singapore Democratic Party in their jurisdictions so that it may continue its work as an exiled entity.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Thai 'Sex Slaves' Smuggled To S'pore Yearly
The New Paper reported that the Bangkok Post ran a story last Sunday about Thai women being trafficked to remote locations in Singapore where they are held as 'sex slaves'.
In July this year, police busted a vice den for foreign workers at Loyang Way and arrested five men and a Thai prostitute. The barren field near Pasir Ris had been a haven for gamblers and foreign workers seeking cheap sex.
In March, the police found another forest brothel in Yishun operated by Thai nationals.
Previously, they had also raided wooded areas in Lim Chu Kang Road and Woodlands.
THE police conducted 950 vice-related operations islandwide and arrested 5,400 foreign prostitutes last year.
There were no figures available for the number of raids conducted or people arrested at forest brothels.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Home Affairs said: 'The police do not tolerate vice offences regardless of where they occur and will act on intelligence and complaints of any such illegal activities reported.'
The police are mindful that some of the women may have been forced into prostitution or brought here against their will, and all arrested foreign sex workers are interviewed.
'If this turns out to be the case, the police will investigate to identify and prosecute potential offenders responsible,' the spokesman said.
The police also arrange for these women to be sheltered in government-aided or other homes.
The police do not turn a 'blind eye' to any offences here.
'Human trafficking is not tolerated any more than trafficking of arms or drugs or any other such serious criminal activity,' the spokesman said.
'The police are ready to cooperate with counterparts in the region and beyond in the investigation of any such criminal activity which may be transnational in nature.'
Source: The New Paper
In July this year, police busted a vice den for foreign workers at Loyang Way and arrested five men and a Thai prostitute. The barren field near Pasir Ris had been a haven for gamblers and foreign workers seeking cheap sex.
In March, the police found another forest brothel in Yishun operated by Thai nationals.
Previously, they had also raided wooded areas in Lim Chu Kang Road and Woodlands.
THE police conducted 950 vice-related operations islandwide and arrested 5,400 foreign prostitutes last year.
There were no figures available for the number of raids conducted or people arrested at forest brothels.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Home Affairs said: 'The police do not tolerate vice offences regardless of where they occur and will act on intelligence and complaints of any such illegal activities reported.'
The police are mindful that some of the women may have been forced into prostitution or brought here against their will, and all arrested foreign sex workers are interviewed.
'If this turns out to be the case, the police will investigate to identify and prosecute potential offenders responsible,' the spokesman said.
The police also arrange for these women to be sheltered in government-aided or other homes.
The police do not turn a 'blind eye' to any offences here.
'Human trafficking is not tolerated any more than trafficking of arms or drugs or any other such serious criminal activity,' the spokesman said.
'The police are ready to cooperate with counterparts in the region and beyond in the investigation of any such criminal activity which may be transnational in nature.'
Source: The New Paper
Singapore: End Efforts To Silence Opposition
Human Rights Watch - an independent, non-governmental organization dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world - issued this news story last Friday:
New York, October 17, 2008 - Singapore's leaders should end the practice of using defamation suits to stifle political opposition, Human Rights Watch said today.
"Using defamation laws to silence peaceful political speech makes a mockery of Singapore’s claim to be a model democracy," said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Opposition criticism of the government is an essential ingredient of a democratic political system.”
Human Rights Watch urged the Singaporean government to lift legal restrictions on freedom of expression to bring the country in line with international law.
On October 13, 2008, in Singapore’s latest defamation ruling, the High Court ordered the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), its secretary general, Dr. Chee Soon Juan, and his sister, Chee Siok Chin, to pay Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his father, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, a total of SD$610,000 (US$416,000). The suit stemmed from an article in the party’s newsletter comparing the way Singapore is governed to a scandal at a well-known charity. Six other defendants, all SDP central executive committee members, had previously issued an apology and paid a total of SD$340,000 (US$233,000) to the plaintiffs.
The ruling threatens to compel the SDP to declare bankruptcy and shut down.
The People's Action Party has been in power since self-governance began in Singapore in 1959. In the last election in May 2006, it won 82 out of 84 parliamentary seats. The SDP has not won any seats in Parliament since 1991, when it captured three seats in its biggest election win.
Dr. Chee and Ms. Chee are not the first opposition leaders to be driven into bankruptcy by defamation suits. In 2001, J.B. Jeyaretnam, the first opposition member of Parliament, who died on September 30, 2008, was made bankrupt through damages awarded to the two Lees and former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. Bankrupt Singaporean citizens are prohibited from running for office and may not travel abroad without permission from the government’s Insolvency and Public Trustee's Office.
In July 2008, the government refused to permit Ms. Chee to take part in a democracy leadership program at Stanford University in the United States. Dr. Chee's travel applications have been repeatedly rejected.
The assault on free speech by Singapore's leaders extends to critical foreign publications circulating in Singapore – whether newspapers, magazines or websites. In September 2008, the Lees won a defamation suit against the Far Eastern Economic Review and its editor, Hugo Restall, for comments on the SDP case. Damages are yet to be assessed. In a further action, the government is seeking contempt proceedings against the publisher and two editors of the Asian Wall Street Journal for editorial comments related to the same case.
In October 2007, the Financial Times publicly admitted it erred in its allegations that "nepotistic motives" were involved in the appointment of Lee Hsien Loong as prime minister in 2004 and the appointment of his wife, Ho Ching, as chief executive officer of Temasek Holdings, the state investment vehicle, in 2002. The Financial Times agreed to pay costs and damages. It is unclear whether the newspaper settled because the article was in error or because it wished to avoid being banned from distribution in Singapore.
In 2002, Bloomberg News settled out of court a defamation suit brought by the Lees and Prime Minister Goh. Bloomberg paid SD$595,000 ($US338,000) over "nepotism" charges similar to those for which the Financial Times apologized. In 1995, Lee Kuan Yew and two others collected US$675,000 in damages from the International Herald Tribune over the nepotism story. Then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew also collected US$210,000 from the International Herald Tribune for an October 1994 article stating that "some East Asia governments relied on a 'compliant' judiciary to bankrupt opposition politicians.”
"The history of defamation in Singapore shows a pattern of making people pay dearly for exercising the basic right of peaceful expression," said Pearson. "Singapore has nothing to fear from a vocal opposition and its people have everything to gain."
New York, October 17, 2008 - Singapore's leaders should end the practice of using defamation suits to stifle political opposition, Human Rights Watch said today.
"Using defamation laws to silence peaceful political speech makes a mockery of Singapore’s claim to be a model democracy," said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Opposition criticism of the government is an essential ingredient of a democratic political system.”
Human Rights Watch urged the Singaporean government to lift legal restrictions on freedom of expression to bring the country in line with international law.
On October 13, 2008, in Singapore’s latest defamation ruling, the High Court ordered the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), its secretary general, Dr. Chee Soon Juan, and his sister, Chee Siok Chin, to pay Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his father, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, a total of SD$610,000 (US$416,000). The suit stemmed from an article in the party’s newsletter comparing the way Singapore is governed to a scandal at a well-known charity. Six other defendants, all SDP central executive committee members, had previously issued an apology and paid a total of SD$340,000 (US$233,000) to the plaintiffs.
The ruling threatens to compel the SDP to declare bankruptcy and shut down.
The People's Action Party has been in power since self-governance began in Singapore in 1959. In the last election in May 2006, it won 82 out of 84 parliamentary seats. The SDP has not won any seats in Parliament since 1991, when it captured three seats in its biggest election win.
Dr. Chee and Ms. Chee are not the first opposition leaders to be driven into bankruptcy by defamation suits. In 2001, J.B. Jeyaretnam, the first opposition member of Parliament, who died on September 30, 2008, was made bankrupt through damages awarded to the two Lees and former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. Bankrupt Singaporean citizens are prohibited from running for office and may not travel abroad without permission from the government’s Insolvency and Public Trustee's Office.
In July 2008, the government refused to permit Ms. Chee to take part in a democracy leadership program at Stanford University in the United States. Dr. Chee's travel applications have been repeatedly rejected.
The assault on free speech by Singapore's leaders extends to critical foreign publications circulating in Singapore – whether newspapers, magazines or websites. In September 2008, the Lees won a defamation suit against the Far Eastern Economic Review and its editor, Hugo Restall, for comments on the SDP case. Damages are yet to be assessed. In a further action, the government is seeking contempt proceedings against the publisher and two editors of the Asian Wall Street Journal for editorial comments related to the same case.
In October 2007, the Financial Times publicly admitted it erred in its allegations that "nepotistic motives" were involved in the appointment of Lee Hsien Loong as prime minister in 2004 and the appointment of his wife, Ho Ching, as chief executive officer of Temasek Holdings, the state investment vehicle, in 2002. The Financial Times agreed to pay costs and damages. It is unclear whether the newspaper settled because the article was in error or because it wished to avoid being banned from distribution in Singapore.
In 2002, Bloomberg News settled out of court a defamation suit brought by the Lees and Prime Minister Goh. Bloomberg paid SD$595,000 ($US338,000) over "nepotism" charges similar to those for which the Financial Times apologized. In 1995, Lee Kuan Yew and two others collected US$675,000 in damages from the International Herald Tribune over the nepotism story. Then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew also collected US$210,000 from the International Herald Tribune for an October 1994 article stating that "some East Asia governments relied on a 'compliant' judiciary to bankrupt opposition politicians.”
"The history of defamation in Singapore shows a pattern of making people pay dearly for exercising the basic right of peaceful expression," said Pearson. "Singapore has nothing to fear from a vocal opposition and its people have everything to gain."
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