Gopalan Nair is arrested
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Originally posted by balance_else_complacent:
Were there 2 versions of the headline as shown above?Wow, that is interesting!
Actually, GN is truely 100% a Citizen of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and a CALIFORNIAN LAWYER.
No lawyer in this whole universe can deny this fact.
GN is NOT A SINGAPOREAN at all now.
I prefer the headline " An American Jailed for insult".
That is more appropriate.
Just because is is indian race and born in the pore before does not mean he is any less American than the president of USA.
Altho I do not support using un-nice words to say about others like GN did,
At the same time I cannot condone his action as I understand that he may have been too americanised and that is why he spoke that way? maybe. maybe not.
These americans are very freedom of speech wan. That is the right given to them by their constitution where GN is used to enjoying this priviledge there, altho not so nice that he scold people like dat wan here.
Poor man, he forgot he is in the pore.
aiyo, back home, I am quite sure he would not be kenna like this.
But frankly speaking har, what protection will USA provide to an AMERICAN CITIZEN based on their constitution or citizen rights har?
anyone know how USA will render some support for him? How about his supporters in good ole mighty world leader UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?
i no no lah. I really really the no no lah. u know better meh?
I have to disagree.
Nair grew up in Singapore did he not ?
A Singaporean will always remain a Singaporean at heart no matter which country's passport he eventually gets himself.
He is merely a transplant.
A citizen of USA born in the USA can become a president of USA.
A transplant to USA CANNOT.
Your passport does not define who you are.
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sorry.
double posting.
pl go to
http://www.sgforums.com/forums/10/topics/319185?page=6
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Originally posted by Civilgoh:
I respect his freedom of speech. He speaks the mind of Singaporeans.
I assure you, that he does not speak my mind.
Viewed within another perspective, one could, of course, say that the party is not the country and he is criticising the party, and not the country.
Many pple also criticise the myammar junta, we often slam the republicans and george bush for their hare-brained iraq invasion, we often criticise UMNO for its racist policies.
Lets just say that his brand of dissent does not sit well with me. A lot of venom, not much substance.
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Originally posted by jojobeach:
I have to disagree.
Nair grew up in Singapore did he not ?
A Singaporean will always remain a Singaporean at heart no matter which country's passport he eventually gets himself.
He is merely a transplant.
A citizen of USA born in the USA can become a president of USA.
A transplant to USA CANNOT.
Your passport does not define who you are.
I kind of agree with you on this....so that explains why I die die support the Lions in their bid for the 2010 World Cup -
Originally posted by Short Ninja:
I kind of agree with you on this....so that explains why I die die support the Lions in their bid for the 2010 World Cup......and yet you distanced yourself and felt malu when singapore got trashed a couple of days ago.....
now you die die support....
fairweather johnson in da house.
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Originally posted by CX:
i'm disgusted by this ex-singaporean shooting his mouth off and lambasting the country of his birth on his blog.
Sad to say, but at least CSJ is still here after getting whacked left right and center. We question his wisdom, his approach, even his sanity, but he's still here and if he is to be believed, he's here cos he still believes in an alternative for this country.
We may not agree with his alternative, but at least he's here and willing to stand attacked for his views.
That ex singaporean indian is just a sneaky arm-chair critic who has left the country of his birth to seek greener pasteurs and now nurses a pathological hatred of all that reminds him of who he is and where he came from.
What pathetic b/s. Equating "principles" with CPF money... So how much are his "principles" worth?
From his blog:
- Gopalan Nair
- Determined to find the Truth. Born Singapore, educated Winstedt School 2 (next to Monks Hill in Newton, Singapore) Raffles Institution, National Service, some travel in Europe, then law studies England, return to Singapore, practiced for 10 years, active Workers Party member, stood elections 1988 and 1991 in Singapore, was harassed and persecuted by Lee Kuan Yew for my political beliefs, left for USA, obtained asylum and admitted California State Bar, practice law ever since in Fremont California near San Francisco. Relinquished Singapore citizenship 2005 because I was not prepared to permit Lee Kuan Yew to unjustly retain my CPF funds if I remained Singapore Citizen. On principle, the only correct thing for me to do was to give it up, for my CPF funds. I am an American Citizen as of 2005.
He is talking about the system, not the country.
Big difference.
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1.In the first version,Most of the readers would think
that the American had been sentenced to jail.The use of word
'jailed' is wrong here.We usually come across 'jail' when
the defendant went for trail and sentenced.
2.'Threatened judge 'just tell u this thing happened.
The heading did not hint he is sentenced or not.
This is more appropriate.I think Editor amended the word
to tell u the incident more accurately.
Nothing do with PAP and politics here.Just more precise
description and what happened.
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To say that he's jailed, without bail is not incorrect.
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to increase readership? to increase awareness? to project power?
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Yesterday people celebrating his birthday outside...all put candles outside police station
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Originally posted by redDUST:
......and yet you distanced yourself and felt malu when singapore got trashed a couple of days ago.....
now you die die support....
fairweather johnson in da house.
Where is your sense of humor,too much studying?....have a break have a kitkat
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Just to keep you all known of this issue. In SG, we usually listen to one sided stories but did it occur to you to listen to another side so as to be fair? As you all know, our news media, SPH, is controlled by the govt. Do we have minds so shallow as to listen to whatever it was reported in our local news?
Below is the blog of Gopalan Nair. He attended the court session between CSJ and LKY+SON. And also, his "dared" with LKY and the issues with Belinda Ang.
http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/
Letter to challenge LKY
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am Gopalan Nair. Today is May 31, 2008 at 10.40am Singapore time. I am at present in Singapore at Broadway Hotel, Room 708, 195 Serangoon Road, Singapore, 218067. The hotel telephone number is is 62924661. My local SingTel telephone number is 83764236.
In my last blog post, I had narrated the shameful spectacle of Lee Kuan Yew and his Prime Minister son abusing the legal system for their political ends through their lawyer Davinder Singh and a compliant judge, both compliant and suppliant to Lee Kuan Yew's demands to abuse the law, Belinda Ang, to punish his political opponents Dr. Chee Soon Juan and Chee Siok Chin.
I repeat the threat that Lee Kuan Yew had made on day two of the show trial during the last 3 days in the High Court. When asked by Dr. Chee whether he will sue those who write on the Internet defamations against him, I mean defamations in the Singaporean sense, his definitive unequivocal answer was that he will sue them. There is no doubt in the Singaporean sense, I have defamed him and his Prime Minister son, not only in my last blog post but in almost all my blog posts since my blog's inception in December 2006.
My posts have attracted great popular interest throughout Singapore and has been repeatedly and widely re-posted throughout the island in other blogs and political forums. A wide section and spectrum of Singaporeans have read them and interest in them increases daily. And as Lee Kuan Yew has himself said with both bravado and gusto, a lie has to be nailed because otherwise through dissemination people who matter, Singapore citizens, will begin to take it seriously.
Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, you have called Dr. Chee a liar, a cheat, a scoundrel, a criminal and various other abusive epithets. Let me tell Mr. Lee Kuan Yew that these words that you have uttered apply to you and your son, not to Dr. Chee Soon Juan.
Not only in my mind but in the minds of countless Singaporeans, Lee Kuan Yew and his Prime Minister son are men so weak that the only way they can stay in power is through fear and intimidation of their citizens through the abuse of legal process and other shameful means.
Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, look here. I am now within your jurisdiction and that of your corrupt police and your corrupt judiciary who will do anything you want of them, however criminal and illegal.
What are you going to do about it?
Gopalan Nair
Broadway Hotel
Singapore
May 31, 2008Issues with Belinda Ang
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This is Gopalan Nair in Singapore today, May 29, 2008. I have been in Singapore since May 25, 2008, and staying now at Broadway Hotel, Room 708, 195 Serangoon Road, Singapore 218067.
I am deliberately stating my identity and my present exact location for a definite purpose. On day 2 of the trial in Singapore, day before yesterday, in the Lee Kuan Yew and son verses Dr. Chee Soon Juan case, Lee senior had said in answer to a question by Dr. Chee, that if he, Lee Kuan Yew, knew the identity of bloggers in cyberspace who defamed him (defamation being used of course in the Singaporean sense), he will sue and bankrupt them.
He had earlier sidestepped the question by saying, that he had difficulty suing critics of his in the Internet because their identities were not usually known. When pressed, he categorically and deliberately stated that he will sue if they made known their identities.
Well, what you are going to read should be without question defamatory of Mr. Lee and his son, that is in the warped and hare brained Alice in Wonderland meaning of the word "defamation". It will be interesting to see if this Singapore strongman, Lee Kuan Yew and son, who strut around the small island of Singapore bullying everyone who so much as criticized, will sue me now for calling him nothing more than a small time street bully; since now, we have myself Gopalan Nair who has the temerity to identify himself and state his presence with full address in Singapore.
Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, see here. I am now within the jurisdiction of your courts; I repeat, "the jurisdiction of your courts" because literally they are your courts, willing to commit any crime or injustice you will demand of them.
During the last 3 days of the court hearing, up till yesterday, in the High Court, before your stooge of a judge, Belinda Ang in Court 4, you and your Prime Minister son conducted yourselves as expected, no better than cowards hiding behind the coat tails of your equally cowardly counsel doubling up as a PAP politician in court; who managed with the full co-operation of the said judge to ensure that you came to court merely for form, refusing to answer almost all questions that went directly to your integrity or rather the lack of it.
After the end of the 3 days in court, it left no doubt in my mind that you and your son are indeed what international human rights organizations say you are, nothing more than tin pot tyrants who remain in power by abusing the courts to eliminate your political opponents. You are clearly corrupt, as is your government, because paying yourself $3.7 million is corruption pure and simple and in the end you have lost all credibility and moral authority to govern Singapore.
The following transpired during the last 3 days in court. The judge Belinda Ang was throughout prostituting herself during the entire proceedings, by being nothing more than an employee of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and his son and carrying out their orders. There was murder, the rule of law being the repeated victim.
The issue in the said court was the determination of the quantum of damages payable by the innocent victim, Dr. Chee Soon Juan who had earlier been found liable by this judge for defamation of character of Mr. Lee and son, where the law was once again abused through the contrivance of a process known as summary proceedings, thereby disallowing Dr. Chee to produce any witnesses or to cross-examine those of Mr. Lee because there were none.
The said 3 day of hearing before the court was nothing more than a mockery of justice; a charade, a make believe that appeared right out of the pages of Alice in Wonderland with Belinda Ang playing the role of the Queen of Hearts before the trial of the Mouse who stole the Tarts very well indeed. It almost appeared that she was going to dispense with all testimony and come straight to the verdict of guilty so as not to waste her valuable time!
It would be fair to say, in fact an understatement, that in effect she disallowed Dr. Chee any effective cross examination of either the father Lee Kuan Yew or the son, as Mr. Singh, their counsel was almost having a workout like in a gym; standing up to object, and sitting down after almost each and every question that Dr. Chee put to his father and son clients. In fact Singh was popping up and down almost without let up during the several hours of the hearing so much so, that someone suggested to me that it would have been a good idea if he remained standing throughout the case to facilitate his expected objections at each and every question of Dr. Chee.
If Dr. Chee did manage to ask even one question, it was because he went ahead and asked it despite the objection of both Mr. Singh and the judge because if he did not, he would not have been able to ask any questions at all!
Dr. Chee has asked Lee's son how much he was being paid, that is $3.7 million, 6 times what George Bush is paid! Question disallowed and the son shamefully just sits there, protected by his counsel Mr. Singh and the kangaroo judge.
Chee asks whether it is just for him to corruptly steal this amount of taxpayer's money while the poor in the 1 room flats starve without any financial assistance! Question disallowed and the son shamefully just sits there, protected by his counsel Mr. Singh and the kangaroo judge.
Chee asks why the GIC and HDB function under a shroud of secrecy without any transparency, when the moneys in them is taxpayers money? Question disallowed and the son shamefully just sits there, protected by his counsel Mr. Singh and the kangaroo judge.
Chee asks whether he knew that those who read the Internet overwhelmingly hated him as a tyrant and a bully and the only ones singing praises in his name are the Singapore state owned and controlled media? Question disallowed and the son shamefully just sits there, protected by his counsel Mr. Singh and the kangaroo judge.
Chee asks whether the international community looks at him no better than a despot and a father's son? Question disallowed and the son shamefully just sits there, protected by his counsel Mr. Singh and the kangaroo judge.
Chee had asked this Lee Kuan Yew's son why he said in the 2006 elections that " if there were more opposition candidates at elections, he will have to "fix" them and bribe his voters to win elections"? Question disallowed and the son shamefully just sits there, protected by his counsel Mr. Singh and the kangaroo judge.
There were many more questions put to him just as the above questions, all very relevant, which, had they been answered, would have shown that he had no integrity or reputation whatsoever, and since integrity and reputation are the issues in deciding quantum of damages, Lee Kuan Yew's son should have been awarded no damages at all; that is provided we have an independent judiciary, which we have not.
Any honest spectator in the court's gallery would have come away with one opinion alone, that is, this man is Prime Minister only because he happens to be the son of his father. If he really wanted to show that he was in fact in control, he could have easily told his lawyer to stop being the Jack in the Box and stop popping up and down with his objections and let him handle the questions. At each question, he was looking meekly at his counsel to see whether he has to answer it. If I could put it in a simple way, he was nothing more than a helpless boy.
The following refer to Lee Kuan Yew's testimony or rather the lack of it.
Chee asked him whether he came to power through unfair means in 1959, as shown by declassified British Colonial Office documents in London? Question disallowed and the father shamefully just sits there, protected by his counsel Mr. Singh and the kangaroo judge.
Chee asks about his throwing Lim Chin Siong, his political compatriot, in jail under the ISA in solitary confinement for several years in the 1960s and whether this was a sign of a man with a reputation and integrity? Question disallowed and the father shamefully just sits there, protected by his counsel Mr. Singh and the kangaroo judge.
Chee asks about the Operation Cold Store in the 1960s where he jails political opponents because he fears he might be overthrown? Question disallowed and the father shamefully just sits there, protected by his counsel Mr. Singh and the kangaroo judge.
Chee asks about Chia Thye Poh, Zaid Zakaharia and Lim Hock Siew, his political opponents whom he imprisons without cause for many many years? Question disallowed and the father shamefully just sits there, protected by his counsel Mr. Singh and the kangaroo judge.
Chee asks whether the only people who have a good opinion of him are his state owned and controlled Singapore press, whereas everyone else in Singapore as well as the entire list of respectable foreign organizations and countries including the entire European Union consider him as a thug and small time street bully? Question disallowed and the father shamefully just sits there, protected by his counsel Mr. Singh and the kangaroo judge.
Other than the dubious Transparency International Kula Lumpur Chapter (not to be confused with Transparency International of Berlin Germany) he was asked whether anyone else considered him in high regard other than the local press which he controls? His answer was that PERC and a Swiss organization, both of whom cater for businessmen thought highly of him. But when asked whether highly respected Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Lawyers Without Borders, Reporters without Borders, ILRW and several other international bodies considered him a crook; he had nothing to say, because as usual the Jack Rabbit Davinder Singh stood up once again to object and the judge obediently sustained the objection.
Then Lee Kuan Yew went on to insult Dr. Chee with impunity, that he is a liar, a cheat a charlatan, a criminal and what not. Of course the judge permitted these insults, since after all Lee Kuan Yew and his son owned the courts and the judge as well.
These court proceeding were nothing more than a sham, a charade and a mockery of justice. It was very clear that both father and son had no integrity or credibility whatsoever. They were ruling Singapore through fear and those who are able to leave the country leave it in droves, only to be replaced by Mandarin speaking immigrants from the Peoples Republic of China who speak no English at all.
If there was one result of these proceedings it was this. Dr. Chee' impeccable reputation was vindicated. He came out of these proceedings truly as the statesman that he is, and he demolished these two petty thugs Lee and his son, perhaps not in this Singapore kangaroo court, but truly in the court of truth and conscience.
And in fact despite the objection of Mr. Singh and Belinda Ang, Dr. Chee Soon Juan did manage to say to both father and son, that regardless of what the court decides, in the court of natural justice, in the court of truth and in the court of moral conscience, they had that day lost all moral authority to govern Singapore.
I believe, not only me, but every single person who walked away from that courthouse yesterday came away with that same judgment.
As the Lees know, I am a lawyer practicing in Fremont California and a member of the California Bar. My question to Lee Kuan Yew and his son is this. Are you going to stand by your threat and sue me for defamation as well? I am presently physically within your jurisdiction and the jurisdiction of your kangaroo courts. Are you going to going to send your process server to me with your writ of summons? Or are you, as expected, all talk and no action, when you meet those not afraid of you, just as how a petty street thug would behave?
Gopalan Nair
Broadway Hotel,
Serangoon Road, Singaproe
May 29, 2008 -
GN to face a new charge: sedition
LKY cannot take criticism, can he? He said that he don't practise the law. See lah
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Nair is far too fat. A stint in prison will do him good...he needs to starve a little.
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Originally posted by googoomuck:
GN to face a new charge: sedition
LKY cannot take criticism, can he? He said that he don't practise the law. See lah
...the more trump up charges they throw at him, the more ammunition he has ....
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Gopalan is the 1st American and foreigner blogger sued . What impact will this have on the internet world at large?
There is definitely a clear difference in freedom of speech between singapore and the west like in europe.
I am experiencing culture shock.
I am surprised that democracy has evolved in different ways.
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Originally posted by Gutentaginator:
Gopalan is the 1st American and foreigner blogger sued . What impact will this have on the internet world at large?
There is definitely a clear difference in freedom of speech between singapore and the west like in europe.
I am experiencing culture shock.
I am surprised that democracy has evolved in different ways.
Obviously there is a clear difference between Singapore and Europe. The Danish Embassy didn't get blown up for nothing.
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04.06 - Call for sedition charge against US blogger to be dropped
Reporters Without Borders today condemned a case brought by the authorities under the Sedition Act against blogger Gopalan Nair, a 58-year-old American lawyer, who criticised the Supreme Court’s handling of a defamation case.
Nair, who allegedly emailed a judge to criticise her handling of the high profile political case, has been held in custody since 31 May. His trial is set for tomorrow and he faces up to three years in prison and a fine equivalent to nearly 2,400 euros.
“We urge the authorities to drop charges against Gopalan Nair, who has only exercised his right of free expression. This charge is improper and will add to the intimidation of bloggers and Internet users who express themselves about Singapore’s political life”, the worldwide press freedom organisation said.
Nair is accused of sending an email to Judge Belinda Anq Saw Ean telling her that she had mishandled a defamation case pitting former Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew and his son, the current prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, against the leader of the Singapore Democratic party (SDP) Chee Soon Juan and his sister, Siok Chin. These last two were today sentenced to 12 and 10 days respectively in prison for “contempt of court”.
“We express our solidarity with Chee Soon Juan and Siok Chin wrongly charged with defamation. We call for their immediate release. This sentence only confirms our opinion that Gopalan Nair was providing a news service on his blog by showing how this case was conducted,” the organisation added.
Nair denied having emailed the judge and said that all his publications on the trial hearings were posted on his blog. He had particularly criticised the final day of the trial, during which Lee Kuan Yew reportedly said that he wanted to sue all Internet users who were guilty of defaming him online.
In an article posted on his blog on 30 May, Nair said: “There is no doubt in the Singaporean sense, I have defamed him and his Prime Minister son, not only in my last blog post but in almost all my blog posts since my blog’s inception in December 2006”. He also gives the name of the hotel in which he is staying and the telephone numbers where he can be reached.
Nair was arrested in Singapore on 31 May for “insulting a public servant” under Article 13D of the Miscellaneous offences Act, because of his criticism of the judge. His lawyer learned today that Nair is being charged under the Sedition Act (http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/). His blog remains accessible in Singapore.
He worked in Singapore for ten years before leaving for the USA in the 1990s and is an active member of Singapore’s Workers’ Party (http://www.wp.org.sg/party/history/1991_2000.htm) and stood at parliamentary elections in 1998 and 1991. He took US citizenship in 2005.
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Why they say he criticised ? Why never publish what he said in whole ? Why is reporters without borders not reporting what he said exactly ?
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Originally posted by kramnave:
Why they say he criticised ? Why never publish what he said in whole ? Why is reporters without borders not reporting what he said exactly ?
dear kramnave, remember this is Singapore. The press, media are all working for PAP.
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Originally posted by Civilgoh:
dear kramnave, remember this is Singapore. The press, media are all working for PAP.
Reporters without borders do not work for PAP. Why are they not publishing what GN said in full. Why merely say "he criticised the judge" ? Gopalan Nair does not work for the PAP, I read his article and it was not spun by the Singaporean Media.
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Originally posted by kramnave:
Reporters without borders do not work for PAP. Why are they not publishing what GN said in full. Why merely say "he criticised the judge" ? Gopalan Nair does not work for the PAP, I read his article and it was not spun by the Singaporean Media.
Well, you may like to direct your question to the reporter. Guess they meant to write the article without going to the details.Will the local media wanna blow big those reality and facts stated by Mr Nair, I think they see no benefit in doing so.
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Originally posted by kramnave:She is doing just doing her job.
Are you sure?
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Originally posted by Civilgoh:
Well, you may like to direct your question to the reporter. Guess they meant to write the article without going to the details.Will the local media wanna blow big those reality and facts stated by Mr Nair, I think they see no benefit in doing so.
Well obviously if they had published what he had said then it wouldnt be mere criticism anymore isn't it ? Hating PAP is one thing. Don't let hatred make you stupid or treat organisations like Reporters without Borders the real deal.
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Originally posted by kiekergaard:
Are you sure?
Attack the law if you don't like it and not the person. She carried out her job as a judge. whether the law is just or not is another matter and not to be decided by a couple of witch hunters but the society at large.