The myth of Singaporean democracy
Diane Francis
National Post
Singapore represents itself as a good place to live and do business -- a democracy with the rule of law.
In
reality, Singapore is a bully. But it ensures that the rest of the
world fails to realize it by using a carefully crafted PR strategy
designed to portray the city-state as a model of good government and
economic development.
"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 secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party
and leader of the opposition, Dr. Chee Soon Juan, in an exclusive
telephone interview yesterday from his home in Singapore. "Fortunately,
international organizations are getting involved, like Lawyers Rights
Watch, the International Bar Association, the Inter-national Commission
of Jurists. All have criticized Singapore."
Dr. Chee should
know. His saga, which began in 1992, reads like the Book of Job and
shows that the city-state of five million people is truly an autocracy
whose ruling elite use defamation lawsuits and other court techniques
to harass democratic activists like Chee, as well as media and
corporate entities which fall out of favour.
This Thursday, Dr.
Chee will be on trial for the eighth time. He is accused of the "crime"
of holding a meeting with more than five persons without a permit. (So
much for the Singapore constitution's guarantee of freedom of opinion,
expression and assembly.)
"Every time we [have] applied for a
permit we have been turned down and the minister said that he would
never grant a permit," Dr. Chee explained.
His ordeal began
after he joined the opposition party and criticized the cronyism and
secrecy of the Singaporean government. Since then, lawsuits waged by
the ruling elite have bankrupted him personally and are about to
bankrupt his political party. He has ended up in jail because he is no
longer able to pay the fines, and he has lost his university position
as a lecturer. Throughout, Dr. Chee has been denied basic legal rights
such as legal representation and the right to cross-examine and present
a defence. 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 when they tried to report on such abuses.
"International newspapers, the Dow Jones, The Wall Street Journal, Fair
Eastern Economic Review, Time, the Economist, International Herald
Tribune [and] Bloomberg have all been sued and/or prosecuted for making
statements about these matters," Dr. Chee said.
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 Khodorkovsky and other high-profile Russians against
the oppressive Putin regime), U. K. 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," Amsterdam said 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. They also plan to register the
Singapore Democratic Party in their jurisdictions so that it may
continue its work as an exiled entity.
On Thursday, Dr. Chee
will have to represent himself, however. The Singapore court will not
give standing to a foreign lawyer, and local lawyers have been
frightened away from his case. There is no Legal Aid representation
provided either. He knows he probably faces jail again because he
cannot pay any more fines.
"I survive financially by selling
books. I peddle them on the street. I was trained in academia but after
I joined the opposition in 1992 I was sacked and since then nobody will
want to work with me. They are frightened of guilt by association," he
said.
He was fired by a member of parliament with the ruling
party. "When I said my sacking was politically motivated, he sued me
for defamation. I went to court, lost and the court awarded damages of
US$350,000. My wife and I sold our house, car and everything to pay
this fine," he said.
Another two defamation lawsuits resulted in
US$400,000 in fines after Dr. Chee raised questions about Singapore's
secret financial support for the corrupt Suharto regime in Indonesia.
"The
significance of those cases was we didn't even go to trial. It was a
summary judgment, decided by the judge in chambers without any right to
cross-examine," he said.
"A third case in 2006 was a defamation
lawsuit by former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew and his son, the current
Prime Minister, over an article written in our party's newspaper. Fines
were huge [US$610,000] and the judgment was delivered in the judge's
chambers again."
When Dr. Chee criticized the result, the judge said this constituted contempt of court and jailed him for 12 days.
"I've
been convicted on seven occasions already and have another nine charges
outstanding. I can't afford to pay any fines so I will have to go to
prison. The only way out is to leave, but if I leave the government
wins and if the government wins the people lose. Singapore is my home
and lack of transparency and accountability will simply result in huge
problems down the road for my country and for my children."
"I
hope to see democracies like Canada, the U. S. and others in the world
pay attention to these matters before it's too late. Ultimately, their
interests are going to be affected as well."
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/story
The interview in full
Q. Do you have a family and are you frightened of violence?
A. “I’ve got three kids, 9, 6 and 4 and a wonderful wife. I do not feel in danger in that way."
Q. How do you survive financially?
A.
"I sell books, peddle them on the street. I was trained in academia but
after I joined the opposition in 1992 I was sacked and since then I
haven’t been nobody will want to work with me. It's guilt by
association. I can't a lawyer to represent me for that reason too."
Q. What international organizations are you contacting for help?
A.
"Lawyers Rights Watch, the International Bar Association, International
Commission to jurists all have criticized and that helps because I want
the international community to realize the abuses."
Q. Is the business/financial community also at risk by such court activities in terms of contracts and litigation?
A.
“Ironically, there was a case here involving a Canadian co. Enernorth
which signed with a Singapore company. There was a dispute over
commercial matters, the matter settled in Singapore courts. Enernorth
was frustrated and appealed in Canada's courts, saying that Singapore's
courts were not impartial. But the Canadian court was not convinced
unfortunately. It's diffiult to get other jurisdictions to look into
this matter.”
"I want to alert the international business community
there are problems with the rule of law. The Singapore government
lavishes these companies. They operate tax free, can repatriate all
profits and Singapore keeps wages very low. There is suppression of
wages because there are no independent labor unions. So companies love
Singapore and wouldn’t say anything to jeopardize their situation."
Q. If Singapore drives your party into bankruptcy is there any opposition parties left?
A. "The only opposition party that’s called for a reform of the system is ours. This is an offense against reforms."
Q. What is their strategy against you?
A. Keep levying fines and lawsuits that I cannot pay and put me in jail for contempt.
Q. What about the Singapore Strait Times and local press dissent?
A.
"It's all biased. the media is owned by the government. The person in
charge of publications is the former deputy Prime Minister himself. The
internet is all we've got."
Q. How many people live in Singapore and how would you describe their form of governance?
A.
"There are about five million, one-quarter are non-Singaporeans or
guest workers. It is a dictatorship. In the last 10 years half the
workforce has not gotten an increase in real wages. There are
significant layoffs and many homeless living on beaches, on the
streets, in government housing blocks. They don’t have a voice. There
are free food lines at temples and they are getting very long. This is
contrasted with the ministers of the government which are the highest
paid politicians in the world. The Prime Minister makes six times' more
than the President of the United States. And yet when we bring up these
matters -- no transparency which breeds corruption -- we get sued."
Q. Why should the world care?
A.
"Singapore is too small to register concern but look at China and
Russia. They are emulating and admiring Singapore as a model of an
autocracy that doesn't live by the rule of law. The world's democracies
should pay attention to the situation because it is catching on in
Vietnam, Burma, Latin America, Ukraine, India. Singapore is proposing
itself as an alternative to the democratic way of life."
Q. Are NGOs helping?
A.
“Now and then. We are really hoping to at least be able to come up with
a sustained campaign whereby more information can get out to the
international community, try to get a network among the international
community. We have had some help from Canadian teachers unions and the
Canadian branch of Amnesty International.”
Q. What happened on June 2008 at the trial involving Lee Kuan Yew, former Prime Minister?
A.
"We cross examined Lee Kwan Yew at that trial. He kept hiding behind
his counsel, the judge kept ruling all our questions irrelevant. In the
end, we were charged with contempt of court. It got so egregious at one
point that Lee brought in all his body guards, eight of them. They
barged into the courtroom, right in the middle of the hearing when his
son was on the stand. The door flung open. Justice should be blind to
the status of all litigants but here was the leader of Singapore. He
insisted that his testimony last through lunch and for only two hours
because he was busy. Then he left and the judge was fine with that."
“We
said that was unforgiveable and then were convicted of contempt of
court. The judge came up with a ruling ordering us to pay both Lees
(father and son, past and current Prime Ministers) US$610,000. There is
no way I can personally or the other executives of the party but they
named the party as a defendant so they can move against the party and
push it into bankruptcy."
Q. How many members in your party?
A. "About 40 or 50 people dare to walk with us in public."
Q. Is autocracy a cultural matter?
A.
"We were very democratic when we first became independent from the
British in the 1950s, but since the first prime minister came into
power he’s usurped the constitution and clamped down on everything for
the better part of the last half a century we’ve been this way. There
is no civil society, no opposition, no fundamental freedoms of speech,
assembly or media."
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/francis/default.aspx
bro,
try to make your post short and sharp.
many ppl dont spent much time reading a long essay.
Originally posted by reyes:bro,
try to make your post short and sharp.
many ppl dont spent much time reading a long essay.
i did. and in all honesty i thought it was addressing a very relevant issue.
use colors to highlight the key points can help a lot.
cut and paste is a very easy way to express opinions..... boh liao, but easy.
cut and paste is a very easy way to express opinions..... boh liao, but easy.
What cock is that, cut paste news is common practise here wah.
try to make your post short and sharp.
Should I delete the interview section and use the interview part to start a new thread then?
Originally posted by reyes:bro,
try to make your post short and sharp.
many ppl dont spent much time reading a long essay.
Hike Fuhrer,
My Uncle got no choice, he cut and paste only, then he himself also dun read thru and edit it shorter, what a lazy uncle
Originally posted by Poh Ah Pak:
What cock is that, cut paste news is common practise here wah.
just because it is common practice it does not mean that it is good..... you of all person should know this.....
Originally posted by Poh Ah Pak:
What cock is that, cut paste news is common practise here wah.
Uncle, u cut yr cock and paste where?
Originally posted by Poh Ah Pak:........
Singapore represents itself as a good place to live and do business -- a democracy with the rule of law.
In reality, Singapore is a bully. But it ensures that the rest of the world fails to realize it by using a carefully crafted PR strategy designed to portray the city-state as a model of good government and economic development.
"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 secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party and leader of the opposition, Dr. Chee Soon Juan, in an exclusive telephone interview yesterday from his home in Singapore. "Fortunately, international organizations are getting involved, like Lawyers Rights Watch, the International Bar Association, the Inter-national Commission of Jurists. All have criticized Singapore."
Well said. very well said. Mr Primal minister and Senior Sinister the world will see your true colors: Ugly.
I'm a victim of grave abuses from psychotic people in power with access to telepathic person(s) in Singapore . All abuses are to convince people I'm mentally ill to cover their grave evil. Telepathy is not a far off fiction. It's a fact.
It is not a myth... it's a urban legend...
With all respect to the international media, such as WSJ, FEER.
Most withdrew their comment or apologise upon threaten by PAP with legal means.
They should hold up and fight if they are serious and genuine in their report . Why cave in?
I seriously hope someone with international fame can help CSJ.
That the only hope he has, to clear this name and fight the PAP
I bet most lawyers dare not engage the PAP.
I still upheld my believe that local judges are political motivated or influence by the PAP. In that case, can you expect a fair trial for CSJ? i dont think so.
Heil Hitler!!!
You know if Singapore PAP government continue this kind of dictatorship ruling,its system can also endanger the world political system.It will send a bad message to other countries,especially democracy countries like U.S, Europe,some Asia countries n other countries,that dictatorship can actually achieve through certain political methods.
This will in turn,cause a threat that Nazism n Communism might arise n cause a major Third World War.
Originally posted by reyes:With all respect to the international media, such as WSJ, FEER.
Most withdrew their comment or apologise upon threaten by PAP with legal means.
They should hold up and fight if they are serious and genuine in their report . Why cave in?
I seriously hope someone with international fame can help CSJ.
That the only hope he has, to clear this name and fight the PAP
I bet most lawyers dare not engage the PAP.
I still upheld my believe that local judges are political motivated or influence by the PAP. In that case, can you expect a fair trial for CSJ? i dont think so.
Heil Hitler!!!
in general, legal tussle depends a lot on how much money you have.
justice system.
In today's world,the link between countries are getting closer n closer.Its better for major countries to work together n ban dictatorship altogether,rather than let it spread n cause global unstability.
if we don't help ourselves, how do we expect other people to help us?
Democracy has made the US rich and powerful. Many other smaller democratic nations have also achieved success and more, e.g. Denmark is world's happiest nation.
Russia and China has been under autocratic rule for a very long time and the economy was in shambles. China has made econmic progress but at the expense of democracy.
Singapore's govt is an imitator of autocracy with a combination of capitalism. On the surface, it's a success.
Excerpts from Paul Krugman's article: The Myth Of Asia's Miracle
<Consider, in particular, the case of Singapore. Between 1966 and 1990, the Singaporean economy grew a remarkable 8.5 percent per annum, three times as fast as the United States; per capita income grew at a 6.6 percent rate, roughly doubling every decade. This achievement seems to be a kind of economic miracle. But the miracle turns out to have been based on perspiration rather than inspiration: Singapore grew through a mobilization of resources that would have done Stalin proud. The employed share of the population surged from 27 to 51 percent. The educational standards of that work force were dramatically upgraded: while in 1966 more than half the workers had no formal education at all, by 1990 two-thirds had completed secondary education. Above all, the country had made an awesome investment in physical capital: investment as a share of output rose from 11 to more than 40 percent.
Even without going through the formal exercise of growth accounting, these numbers should make it obvious that Singapore's growth has been based largely on one-time changes in behavior that cannot be repeated. Over the past generation the percentage of people employed has almost doubled; it cannot double again. A half-educated work force has been replaced by one in which the bulk of workers has high school diplomas; it is unlikely that a generation from now most Singaporeans will have Ph.D's. And an investment share of 40 percent is amazingly high by any standard; a share of 7O percent would be ridiculous. So one can immediately conclude that Singapore is unlikely to achieve future growth rates comparable to those of the past.>
Originally posted by googoomuck:Democracy has made the US rich and powerful. Many other smaller democratic nations have also achieved success and more, e.g. Denmark is world's happiest nation.
Russia and China has been under autocratic rule for a very long time and the economy was in shambles. China has made econmic progress but at the expense of democracy.
Singapore's govt is an imitator of autocracy with a combination of capitalism. On the surface, it's a success.
Excerpts from Paul Krugman's article: The Myth Of Asia's Miracle
<Consider, in particular, the case of Singapore. Between 1966 and 1990, the Singaporean economy grew a remarkable 8.5 percent per annum, three times as fast as the United States; per capita income grew at a 6.6 percent rate, roughly doubling every decade. This achievement seems to be a kind of economic miracle. But the miracle turns out to have been based on perspiration rather than inspiration: Singapore grew through a mobilization of resources that would have done Stalin proud. The employed share of the population surged from 27 to 51 percent. The educational standards of that work force were dramatically upgraded: while in 1966 more than half the workers had no formal education at all, by 1990 two-thirds had completed secondary education. Above all, the country had made an awesome investment in physical capital: investment as a share of output rose from 11 to more than 40 percent.
Even without going through the formal exercise of growth accounting, these numbers should make it obvious that Singapore's growth has been based largely on one-time changes in behavior that cannot be repeated. Over the past generation the percentage of people employed has almost doubled; it cannot double again. A half-educated work force has been replaced by one in which the bulk of workers has high school diplomas; it is unlikely that a generation from now most Singaporeans will have Ph.D's. And an investment share of 40 percent is amazingly high by any standard; a share of 7O percent would be ridiculous. So one can immediately conclude that Singapore is unlikely to achieve future growth rates comparable to those of the past.>
Paul Krugman was awarded the Nobel price in economics this year.
In essence, Singapore growth is going to plateau. But this is better than trying to force it to grow by adding foreign people and own population.Because it may work 1 generation, but after that, its turtle all the way down...
I am not an economist... will read his article in full when i have time.
- Democracy has made the US rich and powerful. Many other smaller democratic nations have also achieved success and more, e.g. Denmark is world's happiest nation.
Let me just point this out here, US did NOT became rich and powerful because of Democracy.
America itself is resource rich and have no immediate threats on its borders. It exploits other countries by paying worthless paper and debts for natural resources, and imposing regime changes on countries that refuses to take it.
Notice that the happy democracies are all in Europe? And that Denmark also have fossil fuel resources? Why Scandinavia countries are so "happy"? Because they've got North Sea Oil to sustain its economy.
We want democracy so we can avoid cronyism and nepotism in the system. To make sure more reasoned opinions can be heard. It will NOT reduce prices, but it will avoid spikes.
Believing that democracy without access to natural resources will promise wealth and power is absure to the extreme. It is NOT a holy grail, it is simply a system just like communism and theocracies. You cannot build a terrace house with just ice cream sticks.
If we want a true healthy democracy, we need to understand that the price we must pay for democracy. Thinking that there won't be any price tag for it is precisely the immature mentality that will cripple democracy.
Democracy has made the US rich and powerful.
True, that is complete bullshit.
USA like to push this stupid propaganda.