Singapore Democrats
Ms Chee Siok Chin began serving her one-week jail sentence yesterday after District Judge Chng Lye Beng had found her guilty together with Mr Gandhi Ambalam and Dr Chee Soon Juan for distributing flyers without a permit.
A permit was required because, one, 5 or more persons were involved and, two, the police insist, the flyer was demonstrating “opposition to the actions of the Government.”
(Left: Woman Democrats of the SDP – Ms Chee Siok Chin is the first lady from the left.)
The Deputy Public Prosecutor had during the hearing emphasized that it was not the distribution of the flyers per se that was illegal but the content of the flyer which was critical of the policies of the Government was also illegal.
The police witnesses had testified during the trial that distibuting flyers was a common and normal activity. They could not say what offence the Defendants had committed. One even said that in his opinion, the SDP leaders were not committing an offence.
Furthermore, the licensing officer testified that distributing flyers for a commercial cause did not require a permit whereas one was needed if the cause was political. This, of course, is not true because the law (Miscellaneous Offences Act) does not make such a provision.
The Defendants also argued that the fact that the flyer criticised the Government was irrelevant to the charge.
Despite all these, Judge Chng sided with Prosecution and convicted Ms Chee, Mr Ambalam, and Dr Chee, sentencing them to the maximum fine of $1000, or one-week jail in default. (See here)
The three have appealed the conviction. Ms Chee has chosen to serve her sentence first but will continue with her appeal because it is important that the High Court renders its decision and grounds if it upholds the conviction.
Even as she begins serving her sentence, Ms Chee will be brought to court daily for the on-going hearing before District Judge Toh Yung Cheong for a separate charge for “attempting to take part in a procession” during the WB-IMF meeting in 2006.
Immediately after Mr Chng made his decision on 18 Dec 09, Ms Chee stood up and told him:
“I continue to say that what we did was not a crime. Criticising one’s government is a right guaranteed in a democratic society. By finding us guilty you are as good as saying that we do not have this right. By pronouncing us guilty you are also saying that Singapore is not a democratic society and that this government is an undemocratic one.”
This article was first published here.
I think its obvious the govt does not accept any critisim of it at all. not even in the slightest. we can see that from the YPAP website.
as for what she did, i have no comments personally. but i am curious as to what was written inside. If she was to email it to others, will it be a crime? I mean we get all sorts of chain mail critical of malaysia govt from malaysian friends, so we should have our own too.
“Repression, Sir is a habit that grows. I am told it is like making love – it is always easier the second time! The first time there may be pangs of conscience, a sense of guilt. But once embarked on this course with constant repetition you get more and more brazen in the attack. All you have to do is to dissolve organizations and societies and banish and detain the key political workers in these societies. Then miraculously everything is tranquil on the surface. Then an intimidated press and the government-controlled radio together can regularly sing your praises, and slowly and steadily the people are made to forget the evil things that have already been done, or if these things are referred to again they’re conveniently distorted and distorted with impunity, because there will be no opposition to contradict.” – Lee Kuan Yew as an opposition PAP member speaking to David Marshall, Singapore Legislative Assembly, Debates, 4 October 1956″
And withi 3 years Singaporeans voted him into parliament in 1959 with resounding victory. And then again and again and again….! Which one of you out there are old enough and did that? And now dismay are attacking him?
Good! Now please own up and not be honest like “he” did to us all what he said in 1956! Blame who?
There is no rule of law where Singapore is concerned.
But, what we have here is, “Rule by PAP LAW”!!
Where is justice.?…………..Where is democracy?
VOTE FOR JUSTICE!!! VOTE OUT PAP!!………Period!
disconnected #16
““There is no policy too sensitive to question, and no subject so taboo that you cannot even mention it.”
It was LHL when interviewed by Charlie Rose on American TV.
It goes to show either LHL is a hypocrite or the people from AGC or
district court are too eager to curry his and his Party favors.
STI index :
year 1990: 1160.5
year 1999: 2437.48
year 2000: 1907.88
year 2009: 2791.01
Rate of return for (1990-1999) ~ 7.7%
Rate of return for (2000-2009) ~ 3.9%
The companies in Singapore are not performing as well as they had in the decade 1990-1999.
This is in spite of the tax cuts, cheap foreign labor and other industrial policies by Singapore govt.
LHL needs to do a lot of soul searching. his policies are not working. All he did was to construct buildings (one after another).
I’m not in Singapore but I am interested to know whether this case was reported in any of the Mediacorp printed material or Channel News Asia? A quick search online and no major news services come up reporting it.
to 51),
The goondu PM was reading from a script. I trust my instincts, he is really daft !
How else would Lee Bee Wah, Wee SK, father of Wee Shu Min end up in his GRC team ? Or a moron like Lim Swee Say in his PMO ?
I have this really bad feeling he is clueless to many things around him.
No self respecting and capable person will rely on services of kangaroos.
Great quote from Ms Chee! Better than those American presidents’.
So many Singaporeans have criticized the government for so long. Why aren’t they jailed? Just don’t do in front of a policeman?
Where’s the law that said you can’t criticize the government??????
Show me the law, Judge Chng!!
“7) no tears, no fear on January 5th, 2010 6.46 pm One thing for sure, the consequences become greater for the ruling party each time they up the ante.
It is shere stupidity when leaders underestimate the hatred for their system of governance.
”
But how would they know if only a few here and there on the net annoymously voice dissent or disapproval on this system?
It could be :
1. The Majority accept this system.
2. The majority bochap what has happened.
3. only the minority cannot accept this system
so, which is it?
Hi TOC,
IF you were to scan the contents of the flyer and post it on this website, will it constitute an offence?
Not just referring to TOC. IF any portal or blog dares to do this, will the Police and High Court come after them?
So the judge’s logic is flawed.
It is indeed very sad day for the democracy of Singapore. Kangaroos wins the day. Innocent politicians thrown into jail for political flyers? What more can the ruling gov not surprise us with? If i were to share this with my overseas friends they might just laugh their heads off. Are we sure Singapore is a democratic country or a dictatorial nation with iron fist rule? Why is the purpose to continue voting a gov that served its own interests first than his people? It has been shown that this gov is selfish, uncaring, greedy and boastful. I want change and i want it now!
Singapore judiciary system is politically motivated. The above scenarios speak for itself.
Check out the
“Vote the PAP out” group
at Facebook.
I see Martin Luther King.
I feel for all of you.
May my feeling be contagious.
And stop this petty rot, from ruining this prettyplace called Singapore.
I feel for all of you.
This is tyranny!
I tot it is only recently that a PAP minister says we r a free country, and it is okies to question the gov policies when ask about freedom of speech? So it is a fake speech….great…..PAP really sux big time.
I wonder why the ministers think it is acceptable to have flats for immigrants because they work for the IRs and leave voters in Singapore homeless. even if there are 2 legitimate cases, wouldn’t that be 2 cases too much.
They went ahead with the IR despite all the protests. It is therefore shrouded in negative vibes. That’s why there were so many road blocks. Threatened bankruptcy and delays in opening. When it eventually opens, I dread to see the repercussions. Like LKY himself had said `Over my dead body’.
Is sad to see how the gov takes on Chee’s family members.
Is really sad. Yet when you see how the let the Romanian Ambassador leave the country you see the different treatment.
We the Singaporeans are like thrash. If I were to be in Chee’s shoe n
being ask to get me back to Reservist. I will know who to BOMB down.
I am already pissed by the gayman comments. Do not aggrevate me further.
You do not know who I will take down in town anytime from now.
The Constitution! Remember my fellow Singaporeans! The Constitution allows us to practice freedom of speech! We have the rights! This nation is not Nazi Germany nor Fascist Italy! Its a secular democratic multi- ethnic country!
The Chee siblings should know that criticising and defaming the government are two totally different things. Criticising the government’s failure (if there is any) is alright, but defaming the government should not be tolerated.
maybe MSM should publish the flyers for transparency’s sake? if not how the masses know what constitutes to criticising vs defaming?
68) My Views
What about defaming the Chees? Is this acceptable?
Its clearly shows that their time have come . They cannot sleep day and night . We are waiting for the voting day to come .
The MIW have absolutely no respect for the citizens who have worked so hard for them . Its time’s up for them and they know its comming .
We’ve seen it all… permits, lawsuits, jail terms, police…tools deployed so obviously to those who bother to look these days by those who have power thru their policies and influence to control and silence the patriots from rallying the masses.
Yet 99.9% of us remain entrenched and do nothing…
Tempted to bet the coming elections you’ll need a permit to vote… only one outcome if they can help/ control/ manipulate it.
The tide is coming and the government will soon have no power to disarm the dissent of the people. The tools have already been laid out before your eyes – emails, facebook, blogs. The masses of the people await our message.
Now all we need is a true patriot…not one who shouts over a microphone and is at most a distraction, but one who hacks in deep and sends the message out loud and clear to EVERY citizen so that he or she has no choice but to witness it before their very eyes.
Smart, cautious, protected but not infallible. David can bring down Goliath.
But do we really care enough in the end to make a difference now?
Time for a revolution.
And may the Lord have mercy on us.