Singapore jails two bloggers for racist Internet posts
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SINGAPORE, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Singapore on Friday jailed two men for making racist remarks on the Internet against minority Malays, invoking sedition laws inherited from British colonial rule for the first time since its independence 40 years ago.
Benjamin Koh, 27, was sentenced to a month's imprisonment while Nicholas Lim, 25, was fined and jailed for a day, both for posting comments on their personal websites, or blogs, attacking the city-state's mostly-Muslim ethnic Malay community.
The two faced up to three years jail or fines of up to S$5,000 ($2,955) for violating laws under Singapore's Sedition Act by promoting ill-will and hostility between the city-state's ethnic communities with their June Internet posts.
In several expletive-laden online posts, Koh and Lim
attacked Singapore's Malay Muslims, who account for 14 percent
of the island republic's population. District Judge
Richard Magnus said their imprisonment represented a "sentence
of general deterrence" as their offensive comments threatened
the "very fabric of Singapore society".
Lim, who worked in an animal shelter, posted his comments on an Internet forum for dog lovers while participating in a discussion on whether taxi cabs should refuse to carry uncaged pets out of consideration for Muslims, as their religion considers dogs unclean.
Koh, who was given the maximum fine, advocated desecrating Islam's holy site of Mecca in his online journal.
"The right to propogate an opinion on the Internet is not, and cannot, be an unfettered right," the judge said in his sentencing.
Singapore has one of the highest Internet penetration rates in the world, but also some of the toughest media laws.
Police have wide powers to intercept online messages, and Internet service providers are required to block websites containing material that may be a threat to public security, national defence, racial and religious harmony and public morality.
The government has defended these controls as necessary to maintain ethnic harmony among its 4.2 million people, of which about three-quarters are ethnic Chinese. Ethnic Indians make up another eight percent.
($1=1.692 Singapore Dollar) -
so when is munnabhai's turn?
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after you.Originally posted by SMAPLionHeart:so when is munnabhai's turn? -
haha the two best friends are de first to post eh ... hmmp seems like u too are very much in luv with each other... ever tot of having one nite stand with each other at hotel 81
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The key is to make sure that they both learn from their mistakes.
No point going to jail , while inside , they blame the malay muslims , just like what hitler did inside his jail term , he grow to hate the jews even more.
after he came out , holocaust started.
If those two come out and hate the malay muslims even more , then i would say singapore's judicial system has not worked. -
but my turn is after you lehOriginally posted by Mr Fugue:after you.
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got one type of feeling they are gonna get beaten up badly .
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darn~!!Originally posted by SMAPLionHeart:The key is to make sure that they both learn from their mistakes.
No point going to jail , while inside , they blame the malay muslims , just like what hitler did inside his jail term , he grow to hate the jews even more.
after he came out , holocaust started.
If those two come out and hate the malay muslims even more , then i would say singapore's judicial system has not worked.
then, you should be the judge..............
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http://www.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=132812&page=1
fugue see you next time in hell -
smaplionheart u love to dig out de past ar ... hmmpp love each other man ... stop digging out de past ..
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call 999 and report him
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please lah.Originally posted by gUms:smaplionheart u love to dig out de past ar ... hmmpp love each other man ... stop digging out de past ..
the racists made the comments in june.
that means the judge should stop commenting?? -
qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao...
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tuo diao tuo diaoOriginally posted by kaobeikaobu:qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao qie diao... -
what ever is it ..just chill man .. and think of de wonderful things those two bloggers get in jailOriginally posted by SMAPLionHeart:please lah.
the racists made the comments in june.
that means the judge should stop commenting??
that is why i always say , yaya online no use , see la both backside tear already la now kena revealved to whole singapore to see who they are -
government should also see the comments made against christians..in sgforums
arrest them all! -
aiya stop it la smaplionheart chill dude ...
anyway time for me go down play abit of street soccer with me , chinese , indian and malay Friends ... hehe
anyway everyone has made one type of racist comment .. i did too , and i regreat my action .. i was drunk then ...
anyway both of u guys chill and enjoy urself ... -
SINGAPORE, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Singapore on Friday jailed two men for making racist remarks on the Internet against minority Malays, invoking sedition laws inherited from British colonial rule for the first time since its independence 40 years ago.
Benjamin Koh, 27, was sentenced to a month's imprisonment while Nicholas Lim, 25, was fined and jailed for a day, both for posting comments on their personal websites, or blogs, attacking the city-state's mostly-Muslim ethnic Malay community.
The two faced up to three years jail or fines of up to S$5,000 ($2,955) for violating laws under Singapore's Sedition Act by promoting ill-will and hostility between the city-state's ethnic communities with their June Internet posts.
District JudgeRichard Magnus said their imprisonment represented a "sentence of general deterrence" as their offensive comments threatened
the "very fabric of Singapore society".
Lim, who worked in an animal shelter, posted his comments on an Internet forum for dog lovers while participating in a discussion on whether taxi cabs should refuse to carry uncaged pets out of consideration for Muslims, as their religion considers dogs unclean.
Koh, who was given the maximum fine, advocated desecrating Islam's holy site of Mecca in his online journal.
"The right to propogate an opinion on the Internet is not, and cannot, be an unfettered right," the judge said in his sentencing.
how can their comments threatened the "very fabric of Singapore society when ppl who read the comments dismiss it as rubbish ?
a fine and warning would be sufficient. the sentencing seems too harsh. -
you could be next in jail better wash your backside and prepare yourself.Originally posted by gUms:aiya stop it la smaplionheart chill dude ...
anyway time for me go down play abit of street soccer with me , chinese , indian and malay Friends ... hehe
anyway everyone has made one type of racist comment .. i did too , and i regreat my action .. i was drunk then ...
anyway both of u guys chill and enjoy urself ... -
jailed for good
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how about the 17 year old kid?
he looks like a spoilt-brat to me...