Ladies and Gentlemen,
If there is anyone who doubts the
effectiveness of peaceful protests in Singapore, think again. All big
things had small beginnings and this saying is particularly true in
Singapore's case.
Human nature is such that men always try to
follow safe courses in life. This is only natural. In Singapore, there
is a nationwide fear of the Lee Administration if they were to openly
show their dissatisfaction to their policies. Loss of job, demotion in
their careers, ostracized from government departments and victimization.
In
the past, one used to see protests in numbers no more than 2 or 3. 3
miserable people standing in a row putting up some placard or other, in
a country of 4.0 million or so! Hardly a mass movement. The government
would naturally feel that these 3 isolated individuals is no threat to
the mighty Lee Kuan Yew family.
But this was some years ago.
Steadily we have seen, over the years the numbers of peaceful
protestors increasing which culminated in the Tak Boleh Tahan of March
15, 2008 at 2 pm in front of Parliament House; a huge number of 50
protestors. Oh yes, you may say 50 is hardly a huge number. But it is
in the Singapore context. In Singapore 10 years ago, you would not have
been able to find a single person to even raise a whimper in protest,
let alone publicly doing it!
And the numbers can only increase
as time goes on. More and more people will be taking to the streets in
Singapore as the government will find it increasing difficult to
justify punishing them. Then, with ever larger numbers out in the
streets demanding justice, the Lee Regime will find it has no choice
but to listen to the people to avoid a catastrophe.
As for
Singaporeans it now your chance to be a part of the historic political
change that is imminent in Singapore. You will not be alone as there
will be thousands of others. And when that change comes, you have the
benefit of the realization that among the four million Singaporeans, it
was you who was its pioneer in change. It is a great feeling to have.
Don’t waste that opportunity.
If you question my optimism, there
are good reasons for it. Firstly, in any contest, good always has the
upper hand over evil. In this case take the government policies. The
Ministers paying themselves $3.7 million a year each is unacceptable to
each and every Singaporean, regardless of their social status. In this
case, resistance to this theft of Singapore’s wealth by these ministers
is justified and noble. The refusal to give the elderly their CPF
retirement savings is entirely unacceptable. The government has no
excuse in not doing their duty under law.
The government has no
justification whatever in denying the people their human rights such as
the right to assemble, which happens to be their right under the
Constitution. Everyone in Singapore bitterly hates judges like Belinda
Ang who misuses the law of defamation in order to destroy Lee Kuan
Yew’s opponents like Dr. Chee Soon Juan. I can go on, but you already
see my point.
In all these major areas of contention, the Lee
Administration has no leg to stand on at all. All they are doing at
present is to use brute force and the misuse of the law to deny the
citizens their rights. And when that is the case; the people, and in
this case; the protestors cause is viewed with sympathy, with kindness
and with support. They become the underdog suffering under the yoke of
the bully, Lee Kuan Yew.
Protests in any society is usually the
last resort in political action. When you have good democratic systems
in place, there is no need for protests. Political disputes are handled
in gentlemanly fashion in Parliament where both the government and the
opposition act in a fair minded honorable manner. Where the incumbent
government steps aside where it is lawfully defeated in elections
making way for the opposition. Where disputes are argued in Parliament
in a temperate decorous manner as gentleman do and solutions are found
in a civilized democratic fashion.
But when you see that a
government like that of Lee Kuan Yew is not prepared to play by the
rules; when they deliberately cheat and rig elections by defamation
actions and what not, to destroy the opposition, the people cannot get
redress for the woes through normal Parliamentary channels. They have
no choice but to resort to peaceful protests; a right which is
enshrined as a fundamental right of the people in the Constitution.
In
today’s age, protest is the greatest tool that any citizen can have.
With instant communication throughout the world of news images and
video, the damage done to the reputation of any government is
infinitely greater. No government can afford to stand idly by in the
face of mounting protestors. They have to either use force to stop them
or they have to give in to their demands. And using force,
unfortunately for governments is a double edged sword. You may
initially thwart an uprising but in the end, you will have to face a
much greater uprising than the one before.
Singapore is uniquely
suited for protests. A highly densely built up place with great people
density. Also it is an international city depending on tourism and
international commerce. It cannot be seen as a place where thousands of
peaceful protestors are shot. Singapore is not Tien Anmen.
As
for the 50 at the Tak Boleh Tahan on March 15, 2008, the numbers will
grow. I understand when Mahatma Gandhi started off in Pietermartizburg;
Natal South Africa at the turn of the last century, his movement for
civil rights consisted of only one man, himself! I don’t have to tell
you how many millions joined him in the peaceful protests as time went
on to drive the mighty British Imperials out of India. Same with
Mandela, same with Martin Luther King, same with all protest movements
who have succeeded throughout the world. They all have one quality in
common. They had truth on their side.
In the same way in
Singapore, in Dr. Chee Soon Juan's peaceful protests, he has truth on
his side. He has law on his side. He has justice on his side. He has
compassion on his side. Compassion for the poor. The law, in the
Constitutional right to protest. The truth, since the Lee regime
illegally stays in power by unlawful means. And this quality of truth
and justice being on the side of Dr. Chee and the protestors; this
gives them strength. And with this strength, the numbers will grow as
others will see the light and join in, and then you have a full scale
movement.
Everyone has his part to play in this. I can educate
and disseminate these facts through this blog. The readership of this
blog is steadily rising, thank you. My call to each reader to
disseminate it has had positive results. The information is being
widely spread. And I shall continue writing as my contribution to the
cause of democracy. If in Singapore, you can join the protests.
Everyone can contribute in their own small way. And it is with this
combined and determined effort on everyone's part that will even topple
the mighty Lee Kuan Yew.
Gopalan Nair
http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/2008/04/singapore-all-big-things-came-from.html
If you think the PAP has done you wrong, please stand up for yourself and the citizens of singapore by fighting alongside the oppositions.
And if you think the PAP is undermining the efforts of those opposition parties, you might want to consider what Mr Low Thia Khiang, secretary-general for the workers' party, once said during the last general election. He said even if his party had won a majority vote, they would still not be able to form a proper government, the reason because they lacked resources, experience, and talent. Therefore, if you think you are talented, please put your talent to good use, and not just go on the streets and protest. Leave that as an extreme, last resort.
In this, also consider the ill effects of staging protests - what harm it can do to social, cultural and economic stability in the long run. You have to agree that Singapore is where it is today partly because of cohesion and non-existence of unnecessary protests.
Originally posted by Escape.Artist:If you think the PAP has done you wrong, please stand up for yourself and the citizens of singapore by fighting alongside the oppositions.
And if you think the PAP is undermining the efforts of those opposition parties, you might want to consider what Mr Low Thia Khiang, secretary-general for the workers' party, once said during the last general election. He said even if his party had won a majority vote, they would still not be able to form a proper government, the reason because they lacked resources, experience, and talent. Therefore, if you think you are talented, please put your talent to good use, and not just go on the streets and protest. Leave that as an extreme, last resort.
In this, also consider the ill effects of staging protests - what harm it can do to social, cultural and economic stability in the long run. You have to agree that Singapore is where it is today partly because of cohesion and non-existence of unnecessary protests.
I think its good enuf to cast a vote true to your heart.
They still have a life to live be it under whatever rule.... not everyone wants to be a matyr/activist.