Anti-People’s Action Party (PAP) sentiments seem to have taken a new turn. The local press has reported that a “poison letter” has been “stuffed into letter boxes” in HDB heartland areas such as Sengkang, Punggol and Marine Parade.
The flier, headlined “The truth that every citizen must know”, is said to be critical of the PAP. According to the Straits Times, the flier was “an A4-sized sheet with the criticisms in English and Chinese, made allegations about corruption and exploitation and complained about cost of living issues, among other things.”
The Today paper says the distribution of such fliers falls under the Sedition Act which states, among other things, that a seditious tendency is one which seek:
(a) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the Government;
(b) to excite the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore to attempt to procure in Singapore, the alteration, otherwise than by lawful means, of any matter as by law established;
(c) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the administration of justice in Singapore;
(d) to raise discontent or disaffection amongst the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore
In 2007, the opposition Workers’ Party was targeted with similar fliers. In November of that year, three boys were paid to distribute anti-WP fliers at the restaurant where the party was celebrating its 50th anniversary.
As The Online Citizen reported:
When confronted, these teenagers said they were paid by someone to distribute the fliers and posters. TOC was told they were promised $20 for the task.
The three boys were unable to give details of who the person who employed them was and left after WP Organising Secretary Yaw Shin Leong spoke to them.
A police report has been made with regards to the latest incident involving the anti-PAP fliers.
Read also:
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Another excuse to tighten new media “security” by the running dogs.
Does anyone has a copy of this letter? pls post it online so that we can verify whether it is seditious or not
hang on a minute..
when the headline said…
anti-pap sentiment..it just meant the pap party, right?
(a) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the Government;
(b) to excite the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore to attempt to procure in Singapore, the alteration, otherwise than by lawful means, of any matter as by law established;
(c) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the administration of justice in Singapore;
so does this mean leekuanyew bein head of the pap party can declared himself emperor of singapore as well? with mdm ho ching as the empress dowarger?
i don’t know..you tell me…
As I have often repeated, and the MSM have often neglected to mention, NO criticism of the government can be considered seditious if it is the truth. In fact, the Sedition Act (Cap 290) has a provision to protect precisely such criticism, viz.
3(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), any act, speech, words, publication or other thing shall NOT (emphasis added) be deemed to be seditious by reason only that it has a tendency —
(a) to show that the Government has been misled or mistaken in any of its measures;
(b) to point out errors or defects in the Government or the Constitution as by law established or in legislation or in the administration of justice with a view to the remedying of such errors or defects;
(c) to persuade the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore to attempt to procure by lawful means the alteration of any matter in Singapore; or
(d) to point out, with a view to their removal, any matters producing or having a tendency to produce feelings of ill-will and enmity between different races or classes of the population of Singapore,
if such act, speech, words, publication or other thing has not otherwise in fact a seditious tendency.
how exactly is this sedition act apply ? Perhaps some learned lawyer can enlighten us…
you mean one cannot be critical of PAP without being accused of being seditious ? We cannot even tell people what is perceived to be the wrong doings of PAP ??
When it comes to anti-PAP flyers, we get huge headlines in the Singapore newspapers. The police under Minister Wong Kan Seng move like lightning. However when it comes Marina Sands being linked to the triads, the Singapore newspapers suddenly becomes dumb. The Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA) also under Minister Wong refuses to comment. For those who might have missed the story of how the Sands might be linked to the triads, check it out here. http://www.sammyboy.com/showthread.php?t=55526
Your article can mislead. You really should have reproduced s 3(2) of the Sedition Act in the main body for it qualifies what you have specifically highlighted as the meaning of sedition tendency. Section 3(2) makes a world of difference.
don,
We’ve linked the Act in the article. We do not see how this can mislead.
I don’t know how serious is this matter but I just had to laugh when I read :
“to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the Government;”
seems like the PAP has already done an excellent job themselves. Maybe the police should just arrest the whole lot of them !
“Da jin xiao quai”, anti-PAP sentiments ?? My foot, it is all facts, except corruption we have no evidence so can not anyhow say. This is very common in cyber space, perhaps that aunty is not tech savvy, if she opens up the internet, she has to report to police thousand of times.
This is obviously an attempt to persuade voters to vote against PAP in the coming elections. Could this act therefore be deemed not seditious in the light of Section 3(2)(c) ?
Could some lawyer explain ?
Sedition Act
Section 3(2)(c) to persuade the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore to attempt to procure by lawful means the alteration of any matter in Singapore
Brendon:
You are right. This is another damn excuse for the PAP to tighten the media security act.
In mid 80′s the PAP passed the Martial Arts Control Act by reqiring all who want to learn martial arts to go through a security check by the police before the Martial Arts Control Unit will issue a license. This happened after two incidents of killings by martial exponents.
Also in the mid 80′s after Tan Hwa Piew seek political asslyum in UK for just exactly 10 years, the PAP passed a law stating that anyone who leaves Singapore for more than 10 years can have their Singapore citizenship revolted…yea no such thing as birth right but there is birth liablity to serve N.S.
You get my point by now?
This may be the dirty tricks deployed by the PAP to let people feel disgust against the opposition, while the meantime using this excuse to tighten up the security.
All over the internet, nothing can good can be found, would someone really need to do this?
A lot new tactics will be deployed by the government to win sympathy discredit oppositions and win support. I am not surprised they sent agents to do this.
If you have done nothing wrong, why do you have to worry?
as the old chinese saying goes “If you don’t do something against conscious, you won’t have to worry even when your door is knocked on during the night”
“If you have done nothing wrong, why do you have to worry?”
Only applies when one dwells within a honorable, credible and just environment.
Nada – not in junta Singapore.
Linbie,
I cannot but agree with you cos it justifies the ends, the means – u know lah, PAP-style is anything goes as long as equals or accrues political power and $$$!
How is one to know who or which parties send out such …. it could even the incumbent govt or some opposing parties.
Till then, it would be wiser to take it at face value rather than conclude…
Its good to see more and more singaporeans coming out to voice their anger to the ruling party. This shows how angry the citizens are getting to now. This time only in hdb estates, hope to see more being distributed to those commericial buildings and offices in town.
The Shit Times does not dare to publish the content of the flyer. Why doesn’t ST publish it and let the readers judge for themselves??? Instead, ST jumped to the conclusion that the distributors have done something heinous.
ST has written countless highly critical and disparaging articles on opposition parties and their members….so will the police investigate the newspaper???
Goes to show yet again how heavily biased the local media are and that the men in blue are merely running dogs of MIW.
Can anyone scan and post the content of the flyer here?
subsection (1), any act, speech, words, publication or other thing shall not be deemed to be seditious by reason only that it has a tendency —
(a) to show that the Government has been misled or mistaken in any of its measures;
(b) to point out errors or defects in the Government or the Constitution as by law established or in legislation or in the administration of justice with a view to the remedying of such errors or defects;
(c) to persuade the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore to attempt to procure by lawful means the alteration of any matter in Singapore; or
(d) to point out, with a view to their removal, any matters producing or having a tendency to produce feelings of ill-will and enmity between different races or classes of the population of Singapore,
if such act, speech, words, publication or other thing has not otherwise in fact a seditious tendency. ”
Sedition Act, Section 3, Subsection 2 :
“(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), any act, speech, words, publication or other thing shall not be deemed to be seditious by reason only that it has a tendency —
(a) to show that the Government has been misled or mistaken in any of its measures;
(b) to point out errors or defects in the Government or the Constitution as by law established or in legislation or in the administration of justice with a view to the remedying of such errors or defects;
(c) to persuade the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore to attempt to procure by lawful means the alteration of any matter in Singapore; or
(d) to point out, with a view to their removal, any matters producing or having a tendency to produce feelings of ill-will and enmity between different races or classes of the population of Singapore,
if such act, speech, words, publication or other thing has not otherwise in fact a seditious tendency”.
Who knows the fliers could have been set up by PAP themselves, as an excuse to scare the people and enforce more laws.
Maybe their disgruntled grassroots who have given up feedback to their respective MPs take things into their hands and distribute all these fliers to all residents to make a point.
Hi All,
Imagine going to a restaurant, ordered a piece of medium rare steak and some boiled vegetables. Mind you, this restaurant is as expensive as Mortons! Dish served and steak is well over done and instead of vegetables they gave you fries. You call the waiter in, you thought that they might have given you someone else’s order. Wrong! it’s yours, but wait according to restaurant policies, you can’t change your orders if you are not satisfied with it and you can’t ask for a refund. But hey! you have already paid before you have even ordered. Infact, you also paid for the air condition, the tap water, the chair you are sitting on and the table.
Cheers,
Have a great night out at the restaurant.
this article is totally misleading and wrong.
these criticisms of the PAP and any other political parites are not illegal at all. in fact, they are a fundamental right under the singapore constituition.
@ not illegal: O really? So anyone can go out there and shout out criticisms of the government body? By means of criticisms, i.e a layman might not be able to prove that his “voice” is factual. You have got to be kidding me, there is no way that such a man will not be arrested. If so, countless international publishers would have not been sued.
wow, no one should speak against gov thingies are?
so, opposition remains in the constitution right?
Also received it in Aljunied GRC. Elections must be near. Nothing new.
Decided voters won’t be swayed by such mailers.
Are undecided voters going to be swayed by such mailers?
Waste of time and money imo. On the other hand, the printers and ink seller will earn more money so economic perspective = go ahead.
The fact is, no one knows who dun it.
could it be sabo?
could it not be sabo by a prank?
good move, we need to see flyer or someone translate….. and forward forward…..
cannot criticise meh??? sounds so CHINA to me.
The SPH is so thick skin
In a democratic nation, any voice can be heard in any day of the year.
PAP limits the freedom of speech to 8 days election campaign once every 4.5 years average, that is 0.48% of a term, is this democracy ?
Residents who complained about this anti PAP leaflets are simply naive, do they complain so much of junk mails ?
PAP has successfully brought 2 generation of brainless people, who know nonly obey and comfort, sucking up to power.
This is an evidence of a TOATL failure of Singapore’s education emphasis, that is DO NOT ASK, JUST LISTEN AND FOLLOW
Now, PAP brought in all wards of qualified but arrogant, less than qualified and bad in sovcial manners no-talents, because PAP said
a) Singaporeans are lazy
b) Singaporean are NOT creative
Now, only pro-PAP citizens can question but not the ordinary people, do PAP followers pay more taxes so they are entitled more rights ?
PAP has suceeded another goal, DIVIDE and CONQUER, the society has lost the sense of unity, it is IF you are not with PAP, you are unfit to be citizens, this is exactly what Young PAP has sounded so far.
SHAME ! TOTAL FAILURE !!
The person behind the mail will be found out right ? just like the white elephant thingie right?
sg so small right? sure will catch right?
even mas selamat got caught right?
This article is intellectually stimulating. It leads me to wonder, on coming rallies, what should opposition say?
I’m afraid that this incident will do the opposite what it is intended to do. Though the intent was honest the means was not. But in a state where access to information is restricted and where most of the population are not net savvy, what other way is there?
Sedition Act is an antiquated law from a bygone era mainly the British who during their colonial rule enacted the law against anti colonial and communist. To use this outdated act with impunity is just like the law which needs to be confined to history
The presiding party of any country will definitely try relentlessly any methods to stay in power including depriving opposition parties of resources legally to propagate profusely. what is interesting is that ” as education makes one impossible to enslave” many singaporeans will realise that such methods are underhand and unfair. it puts the playing field at the level of incredible advantage to the presiding party. One cannot suppress free will and free opinion and as most singaporeans gets higher educated, the picture becomes clearer. the relentless methods of suppressing and depriving opposing parties. that era has to go. As more and more people understand the issue of checks and balances , they will come to support the minorities. it is not a matter of supporting, it is a matter of a need of balance of power. If PAP was to see that, political freedom and progress can be much enhanced. even so, the sense of insecurity and distrust within the political systems forces each party to play all cards.likewise, the opposition harping on errors made by presiding party is a cheap shot tactic, it is not the long way to go. Unconvincing and undesirable in my opinion. However, hoping to obtain political power just by coming out to oppose PAP is pathetic and much worse off. service and governance to the people must be true. if this is true, i believe people will eventually votes those whom they know that really care. Politics was never meant to be dirty but the people made it so. It is an ugly brawl fight just that one is legally dealing a low blow while the other retaliates with whatever they can do; spreads anonymous malicious stories with whatever limited. I don’t see how people can benefit from this ruckus and how the country can progress…
欲盖弥彰，作贼心虚，越描越黑。
So who got the flyer? Can share the content here?
Just tell everyone to vote the PM out. Since the day he takes helms the total number of immigrants is getting out of hand. This is not the way to ensure harmonious living environment.
We need a change. Do not vote out all the PAP. Vote out only DPM, PM, MM, SM. Then we shock the system.
So those who can vote. Vote with you heart to change. If not, all will be labelled again and again as daft, less hard driving, ignorant, strawberries. They get the money to label and we take the shit. Evidence on corruption will be published on the Internet just before the election so be prepared for a system shock.
When its PAP propaganda day in and day out in all the mainstream media, what else do you expect distressed citizens to do?
PAP has only itself to blame.
if truth , is seditious,
then all things is seditious, ….
would it not.
I am keen to see the letter. If there is no letter or proof than I believe ST is trying to make up stories to gain sympathy mark for PAP. On the other hand, if the content of the letter is written with fact, than the writer is not guilty and the kangaroo should get into the act of bringing those named in the letter to justice. Enough is enough, voting for PAP is no longer an option.
(a) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the Government
And what’s the problem with that?
That’s as benign as hating durians, hating to go to the dentist’s, hating to give presentations/speeches etc.
Surely no govt in the world can expect all the citizens to love it unanimously. If you want love, rule with love, not fear. If you do not want to be hated, don’t make the people hate you.
P.S: There’s a chance the ‘poison letter’ stunt could have been caused by agent provocateurs paid off by the PAP. Call it a pre-emptive strike in psy-ops. What happens next is that the PAP accuses the opposition of using foul tactics, being divisive, even unpatriotic. Repeat ad nauseum until the sheeple treats it as truth.
The citizens should post more and discuss more in public, i mean , public forums and blogs.
This will lead to citizens being more involved in politics and thus their future.
Relying on single source of info has its flaws.
My initial reaction to the publication of this flyer story in mainstream media is — wow!! another boogieman act — to scare singaporeans into thinking that they will lose PAPa in the next election itf they go on criticising. Its eating into their ‘heartlands’. But Singaporeans have come a long way from those times when we take the sticks silently. We do want to know our rights to check government and this time around, this publication help bring out this issue again.
@sartisel
I see that education has done you a lot of good!!!!! Big sentences, no sense. Same logic at de-valuing that some time the less you are formally brainwashed, the clearer your views are about the world – you chekc things against practice and the live you have to eke out!
I’m no law student but living outside of Singapore for a number of years opened my eyes to a few things.
–
a) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the Government;
– A political party is NOT the Government. That’s the whole gist of democracy. Notice that every time the word ‘Government’ comes up in the flyer, it is has ‘PAP’ in front of it.
(b) to excite the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore to attempt to procure in Singapore, the alteration, otherwise than by lawful means, of any matter as by law established;
– Taken from the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (We as citizens have rights. Yes, the concept boggles the mind.)
Freedom of speech, assembly and association
14. —(1) Subject to clauses (2) and (3) —
(a) every citizen of Singapore has the right to freedom of speech and expression; [etc.]
[Clause 2 is as follows]
(2) Parliament may by law impose —
(a) on the rights conferred by clause (1) (a), such restrictions as it considers necessary or expedient in the interest of the security of Singapore or any part thereof, friendly relations with other countries, public order or morality and restrictions designed to protect the privileges of Parliament or to provide against contempt of court, defamation or incitement to any offence;
Fliers are lawful I would say, unless the term and the existence of ‘Junk mail’ have become extinct. Whoever wrote the flyer could have some knowledge of law because the ‘defamatory statements’ were all worded as questions, which is legal?
(c) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the administration of justice in Singapore;
– Who’s to say that hatred or contempt did not already existed? Plus, ‘excite disaffection against the administration of justice in Singapore’- I guess I can’t rant and vent about getting a parking ticket to anyone anymore?
(d) to raise discontent or disaffection amongst the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore
– I highly doubt the fliers ‘raise[d]‘ any discontent or disaffection amongst the citizens or residents of Singapore. Words I would go with are ‘articulated’ or ‘verbalized’ or ‘stated the obvious’
Know your rights. ‘When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.’ – TJ
Some light reading, shall we?
CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE
http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/non_version/cgi-bin/cgi_retrieve.pl?&actno=Reved-CONST&date=latest&method=part
oh and ps:
http://www.temasekreview.com/wp-content/themes/church_10/images/thumbnails/sengkangflyer01.jpg
Many years ago before the elections, GCT published a book called the next lap to glamorize the pigs.
Now, many years later, someone published some statements about how shitty the pigs have been.
How ironic.
because PAP IS the gahmen mah, u all dunno meh?
Anyone got murdered, raped, bashed to pulp, spat on, swore at or have his frog face caricatured to public ridicule and mocking as a result of and since the distribution of those anti-PAP fliers? Nothing happened right? So where is the “tendency” to excite “disaffection….blah..blah and blah load of bullshit…of sedition? Doesn’t the peace, serenity and silence of imaginery “excitement” prevailing since the flier’s distribution proved the “tendency” described in a legislation of fiction hollow of truth? If it was really seditious, it is certainly “seditious” ONLY in the mind of the statute’s author. As I can see it, the author or distributor of that flier is as innocent as a blank white piece of paper, only the persecuting tries to paint of black picture of sedition on it which reality proves the painter stupid of truth. Or is it NOT??