Press statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
We are disappointed to learn that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was found guilty and sentenced to three years hard labour.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi did not plan to violate the terms of her house arrest, and the intrusion into her house was by a person who appears to be of unsound mind.
We are however happy that the Myanmar Government has exercised its sovereign prerogative to grant amnesty for half her sentence and that she will be placed under house arrest rather than imprisoned.
We are heartened that Minister of Home Affairs Major General Maung Oo had announced that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will be allowed to see doctors and nurses, communicate with her party, watch local television channels, read local newspapers and journals, and can receive visitors with the government’s permission and that there is a possibility that she could receive amnesty for the remainder of her sentence.
These are significant gestures by the Myanmar Government.
We hope that the Myanmar Government will allow Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to participate in the political process as soon as possible.
A meaningful dialogue between the Myanmar Government, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all other political groups in an open and inclusive process of national reconciliation is the only hope for the long term political stability of the country.
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The Junta is just practising what Lee Kuan Yew preached.
The late S Rajaratnam and former deputy prime minister, once recounted what Lee Kuan Yew taught: “If you want to break someone’s window, tell him that you are going to burn down his house. So when you really break his window, he’ll be so grateful that he’ll thank you for it.”
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi should not be under house arrest in the first place. She should not be charged.
Furthermore, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is the elected leader of Burmese people. The present junta came to power using force (killing thousands).
Singapore government is doing business and supporting such kind of ruthless junta.
i think singapore should abstain from comments, so much hypocrisy in the letter. how can we be happy when this noble winner broke no law and is sentenced to be imprisoned at home?
how about head of MFA being imprisoned at his bungalow for writing such silly letter? and we could we are happy.. too. ha ha ha
“the intrusion into her house was by a person who appears to be of unsound mind.”
UNSOUND MIND again?
It seems that anyone going against the law as a form of protest is of unsound mind to PAP.
I am shocked and disgusted to learn this. How can this sentence be considered “an amnesty” or “significant gestures” by the Myanmar Government?
Authoritarian governments think alike and when they give you crumbs from their table, you have to be thank full for it.
I think the statement by SFAM is just plain silly and almost stupid and absurd!!!
“We are however HAPPY that the Myanmar Government has exercised its sovereign prerogative to grant amnesty for half her sentence and that she will be placed under house arrest rather than imprisoned.”
Who is HAPPY??
Answer: The Singapore Govenment and NOT the people of S’pore!
“”We hope that the Myanmar Government will allow Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to participate in the political process as soon as possible.”"
I think this is written by a 9 year old.
[ We are however happy that the Myanmar Government has exercised its sovereign prerogative to grant amnesty for half her sentence and that she will be placed under house arrest rather than imprisoned ]
Maybe GCT suggested this to them when we went there recently.
I am ashamed to be Singaporean, PAP! It reminds of Tang Liang Hong, where he was found guilty of “defaming the PAP” and asked to pay millions in compensation. The High court later reduced to the amount and the PAP thinks that Singaporeans are so idiotic that they may think that the PAP is magnanimous! I am really ashamed!!!
Guys , at least this ‘ruthless’ tactic carried out a trial leh, better than ISA.
“PAP thinks that Singaporeans are so idiotic that they may think that the PAP is magnanimous! I am really ashamed!!!”
This analogy is akin to bandits robbing the people and gang-raping the wifes and daughters but yet those victims becomes thankful as the bandits spared their lives !
MFA is licking the boots of the Myanmar Generals again.
Mind you, one of the decision makers of this farce was honoured by the Singapore Government via the naming of an orchard flower after his name… not many months ago!
I am convinced this Singapore Government is no longer governed by morals. Money and business are the best to them!
Pui PAP!
I am deeply ashamed of the Singapore government and the people, my fellow citizens, who elect such an amoral lot to high office. We deserve our government.
disappointed -> happy -> heartened -> significant – > hope
Is this an example of what it means to “upturn the downturn”?
Next, to lick their boots.
There are times when avoiding direct confrontation is best way to achieve the desired outcome. It is ridiculous to conclude from this statement that MFA is licking boots. MFA is dealing with a difficult regime in a nuanced and effective manner. It is pointless to condemn the Junta in the way most NGOs have chosen to do – it is like entering a room full of Ah Bengs and telling them in Queen’s English to carry scented handkerchiefs.
I suppose the pragmatic, on entering a room full of Ah Bengs, would engage in loan shark business with them, and through the process enrich both parties and pull the Ah Bengs out of their straits.
and here is the statement from Pres. Obama:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/08/11/obama-condemns-new-restrictions-on-nobel-winner-suu-kyi/
President Barack Obama Tuesday blasted the sentencing of Myanmar’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to 18 more months of house arrest as a violation of “universal principles of human rights.”
“I join the international community in calling for Aung San Suu Kyi’s immediate unconditional release,” Obama said.
He called the verdict “unjust” and said “thousands of other political prisoners in Burma … have been denied their liberty because of their pursuit of a government that respects the will, rights, and aspirations of all Burmese citizens. They, too, should be freed.”
I believe we are all united as one people, regardless of race, language or religion – fully ashamed of our government for expressing happiness and feeling heartened by the sentence.
“We are however happy that the Myanmar Government has exercised its sovereign prerogative to grant amnesty for half her sentence and that she will be placed under house arrest rather than imprisoned.”
Please, what crime has she committed to deserve any punishment. Is this the standard of Singapore’s of justice and human rights? Imprisonment for trumped up crimes?
Statement should be like the British Government “Monstrous”, French “brutual and unjust” should be the order of the day.
I write to urge the Singapore Government to withdraw the statement on the imprisonment of Daw Aung San Suu Ki and replace it with a sterner condemnation.
The bootlicking skills of our elites have just gone up another notch.
That’s why our leaders are not inspiring.
What kind of people they would attract to Singapore?
Take a guess.
Another piece of news that makes me feel really disgusted. But then again, what this country does to its citizens is pretty similar, albeit less obvious…as some other said, the thinking of the governements is the same.
If only EU and USA would get alerted of Sinagpore’s stand on this and give them a proper scolding.
What’s happining to us???
Internlly we have so much problems as a country, economic, social, political…
Externally we align ourselves with dictators, when all others condemn them.
Singapore, are you cursed with bad judgement? Looks like it. It’s showing every other day in the decisions and actions of the leaders!
Singapore is disgusting! Our country is helping another government to bully a hapless woman for 10 years.
But then again our party is famous for bullying the hapless opposition party too.
The EU & USA should sanction all the countries continue to do business with Myanmar and not just Myanmar itself, ASEAN & China & all.
If a person steals all of your belongings from your home, and then returns half of it, saying he is showing mercy, would you praise him or be thankful?
Didn’t think so.
One of the richest business tycoons in Burma (with close ties to Gen. Than Shwe), Mr. Tayza, has a house and a bank account in Singapore. (His son used to boast about that on the Internet). I am pretty sure that many other “nouveau-riche” in Burma, namely the top brass, their families and their cronies have strong business ties to Singapore, a Commonwealth nation!
I am saddened that the poor people in the villages of Burma who are mired in poverty won’t have a chance of living in peace, freedom and dignity. (even if it is in relative poverty!). Aung San Suu Kyi was their beacon of hope and the regime knows that. Money and Guns shouldn’t rule the world.
I think this condemnation only weakens us by choosing to include what seems to be an over-sensitive attitude towards them.
MFA, Please do not show a half-hearted condemnation…
This is an obvious insult to ASEAN esp the lady won the Burmese general election more than 10 years ago. ASEAN should strip Burma of the ASEAN membership.
I think only Singapore PAP can be disappointed and glad at the same time.
Shameful. Reading the news we see not a single world government speaking well of the Junta, and even the softest reply hints at disapproval – except for ours, which only speaks of “disappointment”, hinting that things could be better, but is still totally acceptable as it is.
No surprise there though, seeing how they share similar views and methodologies. Sure, there is the “rule of law” in use here – but we need to question: is that law just?
23) atrocious on August 12th, 2009 10.08 am
///What’s happining to us???///
This is a dictators membership club, what else?
While their government invest in Singapore, our PAP too invest in Europe and Amercia by sending their children to set foot there.
While Singapore PAP imprison Singaporean with taxes all over the place and retain your CPF. They simply use the army to do the same to their people.
If Singaporean can’t even save ourselves from dictatorship,
there is nothing much we can do for them either.
$$ must be involved. The Burmese Generals are putting lots into the Sing banks/ government. It is blood $$. Very sad.
Well, put simply, the generals of the military junta should thank the heavens that their country is deprived of precious natural resources such as oil.
Too bad guys, all of you can’t do anything. Just complain of no use at all. Our leaders don’t even know or listen to it. Save your energy for the coming election, vote them. Show them our colour and they will know who is calling the shots. Without the support of the people, you think they can sit there for so long and draw big pay for themselves.
When she won the election 10 years ago, lets just call it a “freak election”, the dictators refused to acknowledge her victory. The military was called to silence any opposition and the dictators are still in power. I believe the use of the army to retain power is not a new idea and in fact has been openly mentioned by the great one. So it comes as no surprise that we are claiming that the “myanmar government” and not the military dictators are using its sovereign prerogative. Brilliant, just like the statement on transparency.
To #15 SY,
“There are times when avoiding direct confrontation is best way to achieve the desired outcome. It is ridiculous to conclude from this statement that MFA is licking boots. MFA is dealing with a difficult regime in a nuanced and effective manner. It is pointless to condemn the Junta in the way most NGOs have chosen to do – it is like entering a room full of Ah Bengs and telling them in Queen’s English to carry scented handkerchiefs.”
Please have a world view, it will shape your thinking better. All other countries, in addition to NGOs, are terribly displeased with the Junta ruling except Singapore who mentioned they are “happy”. It doesn’t seem ridiculous now, but outright childish on hindsight!
IF you think these people (Junta) are Ah Bengs and are difficult to deal with in a normal way, how low do you think Singapore Government should go so as to promote a non-confrontational relationship with the Junta?
The Orchard naming ceremony for a General who has been involved in killings and persecution of thousands of innocent souls was already quite degrading to our national flower..
I encourage you to read the various articles/links submitted by people to this forum lately, which decry the extreme injustice committed in Myanmar and then perhaps your viewpoint will change.
To #15 SY,
///“There are times when avoiding direct confrontation is best way to achieve the desired outcome.”////
- Avoid direct confrontation? Who is asking for direct confrontation? Just don’t write the damn letter! In this case silence is better than gold!
- Achieve the desired outcome? Is punishing an innocent person a desired outcome? An innocent person should not even be punished at all!
///”It is ridiculous to conclude from this statement that MFA is licking boots. MFA is dealing with a difficult regime in a nuanced and effective manner.”///
- Ridiculous? If it is not about licking boots, you contradict your earlier statement that it is the best way to ‘avoid direct confrontation’ to ‘achieve the desired outcome’, unless you seriously mean the MFA’s statements are meaningful and righteous.
///”It is pointless to condemn the Junta in the way most NGOs have chosen to do – it is like entering a room full of Ah Bengs and telling them in Queen’s English to carry scented handkerchiefs.”///
- Pointless? Tell that to the world leaders, and ask them ALL to write ‘nice’ letters to the junta instead and you will see which is pointless!
- If I see a room full of Ah Bengs, and know they are Ah Bengs, and I am not an Ah Beng, I will not join them in the first place – not for money and not for power! Why tell them to carry scented hankies? I’d leave them out of my circle! If I have the guts to say anything, I’d say what they are doing is wrong. If I don’t have the guts, I just shut up.
To 36) Jim on August 12th, 2009 2.30 pm
and
37) Rafflesian on August 12th, 2009 5.59 pm
I would deal with Ah Beng’s differently from how I would deal with a say, a greedy lawyer. We need to deal with different people in different ways, and to use the right language for different groups. This is based on our understanding of different realities and different cultures and expectations.
That ‘s why I say, MFA has the right approach in this case. Just because there is a whole chorus of condemnation from NGOs and Western leaders does not mean that the approach, even if founded on the right intentions, is effective. The morale high horse approach is simply one that does not work in this case. I think this is precisely why the US (esp under Bush) approach to China’s human rights issues was highly unacceptable to the Chinese – Bush insisted on public shaming and straight talk. If the ultimate aim is to influence the “enemy”, you must first seek to “empathize with the enemy”. Thus to simply conclude that MFA wishes to look the Junta’s boots is, I say again, ridiculous :)
If I am an ‘Ah Beng’ opposition leader, would you to ‘emphatise with (your) enemy’ by writing me a nice letter???
Dear SY
I find that your comparison with this to china human right issue funny and inappropriate. The best part is that your bring out Brush Junior the USA worst president ever elected. Let’s start with China, what’s wrong with China? Ever seen a PRC come here to buy LV bags before? No credit card, stack and stack of cash. Human Right, you say? Anyone of them can be richer than you!
Like I mentioned above, only Singapore PAP can write letter with disappointment and happy at the same time. Like some already mentioned, what is she guilty of in the first place? Allowing unsounded mind foreigner go into her house? Then again, the question to ask is, no guards outside from the general? Maybe you should try to climb into our ISA detention barrack to see if you succeed?
Please use abit of what is left up in the shell and think harder. So that it won’t be so difficult for you to understand why so many countries protested and Singapore is one of the minority that protest and agree with them.
what will happen if oppositions won election in 2010? would they call it freak election?
SY
I don’t know what is your intention thinking other wise, maybe you want polish PAP boots in return. You know what? I somehow find your reasoning so familar that it reminds Me of some of our Singapore’s ‘finest’ ministers.
However, you are not a minister thus your illogical reasoning hold no weight at all. And I must say that it is people like you that we as a developed country have to pay so much for the good for nothing bunch of talk C@ck ministers.
SY,
I agree with you. In this issue the govt has chosen a stand which i feel makes sense. Outright condemnation doesn’t achieve anything in this case.
To 43) Anon Minority :
Our gahmen has chosen this stand because they are just as corrupted as the Burmese military – no morals at all, taking sides with the tyrant Burmese gahmen instead of helping the victim !!!
SAD !! Even sadder for those who think the gahmen is right !!!
At this rate Singapore would soon join the ranks of Pariah Nations which includes N Korea, Burma,etc.
Since we are already so rich [Provided TH don’t squander the rest of it} why do we want to sell our souls for a few dollars more?
Still wondering. What was on that ship that was sailing from N.Korea to Spore and finally diverted to Burma—-due to tracking by US.
We are disappointed to learn that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was found guilty and sentenced to three years hard labour…
….We are however happy that the Myanmar Government has exercised its sovereign prerogative to grant amnesty for half her sentence…
…now that we got over the obligatory dismay,do you need some weapons ? we have guns ! nice ones ! we also have tanks ! tanks I tell you !
to 36), 37), 44) well said !
We cannot expect this govt to have moral values and principles when it has shamelessly betrayed the National Pledge.
MFA should learn from the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) on how to write a press statement! It’s best not to comment too much. I find the sentence “These are significant gestures by the Myanmar Government” most inappriopriate. If the quiet diplomacy that Singapore advocates is working so well, why then did Burma remain in this political impasse and mess for over 20 years? And not to forget the untold suffering and misery caused by the military junta, and the mismanagement of its economy.
In short, I am disappointed with this MFA Press Statement. This is how they should have been written it:
“We are disappointed to learn that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was found guilty and sentenced to three years hard labour.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi did not plan to violate the terms of her house arrest, and the intrusion into her house was by a person who appears to be of unsound mind.
We hope that the Myanmar Government will allow Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to participate in the political process as soon as possible.
A meaningful dialogue between the Myanmar Government, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all other political groups in an open and inclusive process of national reconciliation is the only hope for the long term political stability of the country.”
this is what the message mean from our foreign affair:
///We are disappointed to learn that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was found guilty and sentenced to three years hard labour…///
- we agree that this is wrong, like wise with the other nations in the world.
////….We are however happy that the Myanmar Government has exercised its sovereign prerogative to grant amnesty for half her sentence…////
- don’t worry, your corrupted money is safe with Singapore, hope you bring in some more.
Well ‘balanced’ indeed