From the International Herald Tribune:
A Singapore opposition leader has called on President Barack Obama to take steps to encourage the island nation’s government to stop committing human rights abuses.
Chee Soon Juan, the leader of the Singapore Democratic Party, praised Obama’s record as a civil rights lawyer and said he hoped the new “administration’s foreign policy will be as enlightened.”
“I have every confidence that the U.S. will pay more attention to the human rights abuses of the Singapore government and take positive steps to help Singapore join the community of democracies,” Chee said in a five-minute video posted on YouTube and his party’s Web site on Tuesday.
Read the full report here in IHT.
Also: BBC’s report - Obama to receive Singapore plea.
Dr Chee’s video message to President Obama:
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BBC News: Obama to receive Singapore plea
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7841485.stm
Thank you Dr. Chee for including plight of Burmese in your adress to President Obama.
Well done, Dr. Chee!
From the BBC article:
“Singapore’s leaders say tough laws against dissent and other political activity are necessary to ensure the stability which has helped the city-state achieve economic success. ”
Is -5% in GDP considered an economic success?
The question is – will Obama respond?
“Is -5% in GDP considered an economic success?”
yes of course. watch the ST do it.
This video message should be circulated to everyone who needs to know about the real Singapore.
Well done Dr Chee, hammer them harder, very shameful govt. even communist China already have reform. But SingaPOOR is still behind time !!!!! They say one party rule is bettter, so thay admit they are dictator!!!!
I was overjoyed when Obama said at his inauguration:
“To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history.”
Shameful. Airing Singapore’s dirty laundry with a skewed view to the world.
What’s worse, all done not for the love for fellow Singaporeans but out of an obvious personal grudge.
I worry for Obama !!!
He said WAGE FREEZE!!!
Why I worry :
1. If pay not shiok can lead to CORRUPTION, so a few people said.
2. His pay is not the highest in the world for politician. How can????
3. His responsibility is not just the gigantic USA but also the whole world. Is he happy with his pay?
10) Mr Objective: “Shameful. Airing Singapore’s dirty laundry with a skewed view to the world. What’s worse, all done not for the love for fellow Singaporeans but out of an obvious personal grudge”
Where else can Dr Chee air his view? Surely not local MSM.
Done not for the love for fellow Singaporeans? Yes, Perhaps this is for all Singaporeans but excluding those who do not see the right to be a free man.
Personal grudge? Yes. Who has personal grudge to call Dr Chee a psychopath?
Dr Chee and most Singaporeans I suppose love Singapore, that is why we have to highlight to the world our oppressive regime. Most Singaporeans thought Spore belongs to Pap govt. It is totally wrong concept. Obama is correct by saying to those who cling to power thru ………………….
it is not personal grudge,, Singapore is not equal to Lee Kuan Yew, or Spore does not belong to Pap, remember that
Maybe Obama can practice his new policies here :p
There’s none so blind as he who refuses to see . . .
“It’s time for the PAP government to grow up and not hinder Singaporeans their rights to live the Singapore Pledge of “building a democratic society based on justice and equality”. Change has come to Singapore and Singaporeans are wiser and more discerning than expected. Cut Singaporeans some slack and not suffocate them with more self-serving laws.. . . .”
feedmetothefish
I think Chee is not hanging out our dirty laundry for the world to see.
I think some singaporeans dare not look at our own dirty laundry.
If people keep wearing white all day long, where got no dirty laundry one.
No country is entirely clean. We must learn to accept our dirty laundry.
It is the “face” issue that will hinder our growth. As China will eventually find out as well..
Will Obama respond to Chee ? I think he has more other important things to do ! He has to fix the economy, get the banks to lend money again, North Korea’s and Iran’s problems, etc. etc.
I doubt he will respond to Chee, and if he does respond, then I can only say Obama is too free. Chee is doing this at the wrong timing. Doesn’t he has the brains ?
Of course Dr Chee has the brain, this you tube can be seen by the world at large, Obama’s aide will definitely convey the message to him. Even he does not respond, this you tube will expose the dark side of Spore govt.
“Will Obama respond to Chee ? I think he has more other important things to do ! I doubt he will respond to Chee, and if he does respond, then I can only say Obama is too free. Chee is doing this at the wrong timing. Doesn’t he has the brains ?”
Head you win, tail you also win… You really learn fast from your Dark Lord.
I read the ST version of this article and was surprised that ST did not use this article to character-assassinate Dr Chee Soon Juan. It was fairly neutral report, apart from omitting Dr Chee’s quote that suggests Singapore is a repressed state.
Daniel, don’t you know it doesn’t pay to be the good guys nowadays ? We must learn the rules of the game and deal with it our way. =)
The report has already been picked up by overseas news agencies., BBC, IHT.
Times, Reuter besides on Youtube. Its only time when Obama’s aides would
sport it and bring to his attention. Whether he would act on it is another matter, but it has already highlighted the state of affairs in Sin for the world to see
I would say its a smart move by Chee.
And please forget about those rhetorics that Singapore affairs should be handled by Singaporeans ’cause since when have Singaporeans have a
in anything about anything in the Govt?
#10 `Shameful. Airing Singapore’s dirty laundry with a skewed view to the world’
.
#18 ` doubt he will respond to Chee, and if he does respond, then I can only say Obama is too free. Chee is doing this at the wrong timing. Doesn’t he has the brains?’
There is nothing shameful if he is painting a true picture. Skewed or not skewed depends on who you support. Do you find ST/CNA/Today articules skewed against the opposition?
The implication of #18 is Great Obama will not be interested in `trivial human rights’ issues of lesser mortals in a tiny red dot on the equator? But If he does then he is too free – heads i win, tails you lose. . Then castigate Chee for no brains and wrong timing? Is there a right or wrong time to speak his mind? I must admit it is `brilliant ‘ and very `brainy’ to time it on Obama’s inauguration.
For 44 years in history, US get its first elected black president, for 44 years in history, the people of singapore managed to dig out all the dirty things from the elitist ruling party, could it be just co-incident? or its finally times up for the ruling party to go.
Just hope that Obama gets and see the message
cmon,do you think all these years of wagging US tail is for nothing, would US change its policy just because there is a new president? Singapore democracy is for singaporeans to push for.If you really don’t like PAP, simply don’t vote for them.US will not lift a finger to help you unless you have something better for them.
“Daniel, don’t you know it doesn’t pay to be the good guys nowadays ? We must learn the rules of the game and deal with it our way. =)”
That is your own perogative. Yes, it does not pay to be good guy until the bad thing happen right in your face one day, and no one come to your help.
Agree with last comment. Thank God i’m an American
“Daniel, don’t you know it doesn’t pay to be the good guys nowadays ? We must learn the rules of the game and deal with it our way. =)”
And you can tell your son one day about problem of been a good guy, and one day, your son and daughter abandon you because it doesn’t pay to be a good filial and loyal son and daughter because you are a financial burden to them and you have no value proposition to them.
If you don’t harvest a good value and belief, don’t expect your relative and kins to have it too.
Don’t do to other what you wouldn’t want others to do to you.
“Daniel, don’t you know it doesn’t pay to be the good guys nowadays ? We must learn the rules of the game and deal with it our way. =)”
oppps.. you can tell that to Tan Kin Lian too who is maverick enough to do the right thing amidst the fear of retaliation from the coffers. Have Tan Kin Lian follow the rules and deal it the PAP’s way which is the “move on, time will forget everything” way and “bush under the carpet way”, 101% that there will be totally no compensation at all to those investors cheated by the scam entity because SM, PM, MM, FI all put the blame entirely on the investors.
You can say that it doesn’t pay to be a good guy until one day, the victim is your closest kin and you are helpless to do anything. Yes, it is a good thing you can keep yourself anonymous because the moment you publicly make yourself known and harbour selfish thought, then one day, shit happens, and you can’t blame anyone for not helping you, and that including the government.
here is how its goes
obama would have seek the new
whoever CIA ceo @ onced
he would asked mrs clinton
whats her eekian(ideas)
mrs clinton answer would be
what was bush previous comment in iraq?
are you with us?
the cia chief would had answer
try callin devan nair/francis seow for an opinion
obama would have said
devan nair who?
Hmm what does Dr Chee gain by recording the video msg to President Obama, and perhaps for Singaporeans?
Nothing which can advance his cause.
“Hmm what does Dr Chee gain by recording the video msg to President Obama, and perhaps for Singaporeans?”
For the world to see. It is the wisest thing to do if you can’t go and personally visit Obama due to bankruptcy.
“Nothing which can advance his cause.”
Isn’t it too early to say ? If he could not, who can in the midst of us so far ?
Dr Lee Wei Ling published an article in the Sunday Times on 18 January 2009. She spoke against the sin of omission and says that active citizenry is good for Singapore. She says if one sees something wrong and does nothing about it, one is guilty of omission.
What Dr Lee preaches is parallel with what Dr Chee practices.
Referring to #9) seebeng
To those that have doubt if Obama will do anything. This quote by him means he had noted the complain and looking into it. I did say he is the coolest man in the world.
Daniel, Chee always pick the wrong place to speak at the wrong time. I still remember the attempt to go on hungry strike with doc checking on his bp with glucose drips…so funny ! Yet you guys worship him as your idol ?
Yes, I’ve seen how cruel the world has become and only the bad guys triumph most of the time while the good guys get F in the end. Don’t you ?
I wouldn’t get my son to be a bad guy but I just want him to know the rules of the game to survive this ugly world. Life is like office politics. You don’t know how to play well, you get checked out pretty soon. Seems like you Daniel is either a student and yet to see the world or your father is the boss of your company. I don’t blame you; just sympathise you.
By the way, Daniel, Mr Tan Kin Lian is doing his way to help the investors of failed minibonds has his own agenda – to be the next President. Every man for himself dude !
It is brave of Mr. Chee to do so. Poor Obama is indeed viewed as the world’s president instead of America’s president lol. It will be interesting to see how he deals with the rdiculously high expectations Americans and the world have for him.
Anyways…
What i don’t get is how the Singapore government can have such low corruption in the public sector (according to various polls and studies conducted by international bodies) in relation to other countries but at the same time be accused of being a “authoritarian dictatorship”.
To astrogal,
If I come to you and take your possessions with my law backing me but against your will, that is often construed as legal possession. Therefore, no corruption. Or is it?
To iloveharrylee,
When is a good time? When a U.S president cordially invite a Singapore opposition party member to a red carpet dinner to speak?
Yes, bad guys triumph most of the time but it is the belief that good eventually prevails that makes this world a decent place. It is this belief that made Americans vote for Obama.
Even though some here will accuse Tan Kin Lian of having a private agenda to be next elected president, at least those who have been burned are grateful for his help. This is in great contrast to paid representatives who kept mainly silent and remained almost invisible throught the Lehman or DBS High Notes saga.
As regards Dr Lee Wei Ling, it is my opinion that if it were anybody else long ago the system would not have tolerated her outspoken public views and clam her up long ago.
Chee is at it again…ignoring the fact that in the democracy system, the majority of citizens had chosen PAP!
Democracy works on the principle of majority wins and minority accept. However, I observed just like Chee, many political parties and individuals who professed democracy are actually dictators themselves…they care only their views and conveniently call all those others who disagree with them as undemocratic!
If Obama indeed agree and put pressure on Singapore just because of Chee’s one person’s plea, then he is also violating the core principle of democracy, and he is going against the majority choice of Singaporeans, and he is therefore, not fit to call himself a President of the greatest democratic nation on earth, and he will just be another big bully (which is what USA is all about…using their might to disgustingly silent all those they do not agree with…is this democracy???)
Until we have a credible opposition who can bring Singapore to another level of nation building, the current state, relevance and credibility of opposition parties does not create any safety net for voters to vote them in…they have to work harder to earn Singaporeans’ trust.
But for Chee, he will always remained a traitor of Singapore…does he not know that he does not even have any mass support for whatever he does? Does he not know it is precisely that he is always colluding with outside forces to discredit Singapore that makes him irrelevant in the eyes of many Singaporeans, who are still patriotic despite PAP’s controversial political agenda??
Chee is at best, practising his personal rights of being ignored in Singapore (i.e. he is just a born loser seeking attention always), but he does not really have the welfare and well-being of Singaporeans in his heart!!
Democracy works on the principle of majority wins and minority accept. – whychee (#42)
To WhyChee: If you don’t know democracy is, I recommend you to shut up, so that nobody would think you are mistaken. Even if majority wins, there is really no case that the minority must accept everything, other than the fact that the political party that won the most seats in parliament would become the government.
If Chee Soon Juan really cares about freedom of expression, and really respect and wants to fight for true democracy, then he should stop deliberately painting the wrong picture to other countries which does not represents the majority of Singaporean views!
I can see Singapore becoming non-relevant and falling back into just a laid-back country if we ever do have people like Chee Soon Juan coming on-board to lead Singapore.
I agree with Astrogal…how can one government which had such low corruption rate be called a regime of dictatorship??? Did we not learn from Taiwan, where the very person who fought fiercely for democracy and freedom of expression, went on to become the nation’s President, but were simply using the same democratic mechanism he championed to gain more personal wealth at the expense of his fellow countryman. And till now, he still have the cheek to claim that his prosecution is an act of undemocratic process, just because the process is not in his favour???
Chee Soon Juan bear the same resemblence as in Chen Sui Bian, just because he is not getting what he wants and people ignore him, he goes all out to unscrupulously seek attention from outside forces to ruin Singapore and the very people that he hoped to get support from. He is just at best, a well maneuvered and scheming traitor out to seek personal attention for himself!
smallvice585, maybe you should be the one to read more about what democracy means and stop showing your own ignorance here…
By the way, who gave you the right to tell me to shut-up, are you yourself not dictatorial and stiffening in not allowing me to express what I think???
You are of the same mentality of those who on one hand professed democracy and freedom of speech, and on the other hand, demand others who do not agree with what you think to shut-up…are you not just doing what PAP is doing all these while???
You have just demonstrated your hypocrisies and double standards!!
Plus some folks have a phobia of voting against PAP. They might get their tax slips “rechecked” by the IRS if they vote for the opposition. They fear not voting for PAP. Why is this so? There should be no fear in choosing your leaders. Somehow, too many people are bought in by PAP handing out a small sum of $ just before elections. Give us $1, & take $10 back. But some people just look at what’s laid out right in front of ‘em without considering the future.
Whychee?, why are you attacking Dr. Chee despite fighting for our rights & USA? Local gov has molded the minds of locals to believe that everyone else apart from PAP is trying to do us over. I wish everyone could open their eyes to true human rights & not have their views encased in a box sealed up by PAP.
#45) WhyChee , “<iYou are of the same mentality of those who on one hand professed democracy and freedom of speech, and on the other hand, demand others who do not agree with what you think to shut-up…are you not just doing what PAP is doing all these while???”
Spot On! The PAP’s kind of democracy is to ask the minority who did not vote for them to shut up! This is a good one!
Well done #43) smallvice585. You managed to get this out from the PAP supporter . . ha! ha!
genami, I’m trying to understand your mentality…if I was a PAP supporter, would I have said those? But then again, what’s wrong with supporting PAP is they do have good manifesto and are able to maintain the peace and stability that many countries within this region are not having (Like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia).
Like many, I do not agree with the many things that PAP does, but I do not oppose for the sake of opposing…which is what Chee Soon Juan is doing.
Spot on too, your post further reinforce that many here are just double standard hypocrites who simply talk democracy and freedom of speech but do not believe or practice it…they are just opposing for the sake of opposing, and without any views and opinions of their own, they are just miserables that are easily swayed when-ever and where-ever the wind blow!!
I do agree with WhyChee. If you people really support Chee, why don’t you join his party or join him at his protests ? You can even ask Chee to make a youtube video with you guys telling how you view the local political scene…I dare you. Better than you come in here and defend Chee and his actions.
I will never ever vote for Chee because I’m more rational than he is. I guess he has some personal issues to settle with the Pappies which we should just stay out of his personal agenda.
[i]iloveharrylee on January 23rd, 2009 1.49 pm I do agree with WhyChee. If you people really support Chee, why don’t you join his party or join him at his protests ?[/i]
are you braindead?
or leekuanyew yourself?
protest what?
and endup in a kangoroo court
without even donning a kangoroo tshirt?
what is the democratic OATH of singapore?
would you cared to recite it here?