Former detainee Vincent Cheng has been prohibited from speaking at the NUS History Seminar to be held on June 4th at the National Library. The organiser NUS History Society has apologised to Mr Cheng and offered to read his speech at the event. Over the phone, Cheng told me he was not surprised and is looking forward to speak when another occasion arises. Last year, police harassed the venue owners of a forum I had planned on the 1987 arrests.
Now it looks as though the event itself may be cancelled according to the latest statement by the NUS History Society on its facebook page.
I would like to inform all interested parties that we have been told by the National Library Board that the event has now been put on hold. All registered participants will receive an email by tonight. Stay tuned for more updates.
Regards,
Bernard Chen
President, NUS History Society
27 May 2010, 1636 hrs
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This article by Martyn See first appeared on Singapore Rebel
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I am wrong about PAP becoming more tolerant towards an open society.May be because the senior Lee is still around.My apology.
why not TOC or TR or Vincent himself organise it at speaker’s corner and invite the press, oppositions, pap and public to come and listen to?
just see how far this would go…
Amazing! After all these years, MIW still threatened by a harmless citizen with political views? WTF. Clearly behaviour from a living breathing Junta Dictatorship. Trash.
Speakers’ corner is just a corner, a little garden space that is not at all charming. Vincent and his friends do not have the voice of the famous tenor who sang at the Botanic Garden.
I do not see why NUS History Society should accept the ban. The National Library is a public space and we all pay taxes to build it. As long as the forum is not about organising a violent uprising,everyone especially an august society like the History Society should be welcomed to use it. The History Society and the library need to give the public an explanation immediately.
Dear all,
To this latest turn of event, the NUS History Society has offered our most sincere apologies to Mr. Cheng.
The NUS History Society was the one who initiated and planned forth this seminar intending to share with Singaporeans cross-factual perspectives, experiences and discourses on Singapore History. To that, even with the exclusion of Mr. Cheng as a speaker, the objectives set forth by the Society will still be met, albeit not as comprehensive as what we would like it to be. The students running this organisation were the ones who extended the invitation to Mr. Cheng and really wanted him to speak and share at our humble event.
I had a meeting with Mr. Cheng himself on 26 May 2010 (Wednesday) to discuss his scope of discussion so as to better facilitate the seminar on Friday. It is our objective to present his side of the story as accurately as possible.
The NUS History Society certainly did not make the call to take Mr. Cheng off the list. Do please note that the National Library Board is sponsoring the facilities and resources to the NUS History Society. We are tied by our lack of funds to rent The Pod and had to seek sponsorship from organisations. The National Library Board would be in the best position to offer an explanation.
In any case, I still hope to have your support and participation at the NUS History Seminar 2010, 4 June 2010 (Friday), 2.30p.m at The Pod, National Library Board.
Thank you.
Regards,
Bernard Chen
President, NUS History Society
As long the supreme ruler is around. dont expect much of openness.
I would like to clarify the following matter with regard to my conversation with Mr. Vincent Cheng.
“The organiser NUS History Society has apologised to Mr Cheng and offered to read his speech at the event.”
We have indeed offered our most sincere apologies to Vincent but as to having his speech read out at the seminar, it was something that I suggested to him but at the point of our conversation, I have yet to to discuss it with my committee. As a Society, we have decided not to have Vincent’s speech read out, even though I am liaising with Vincent to obtain his speech.
Regards,
Bernard Chen
President, NUS History Society
There can only be 1 version of history which is the one approved by the government.
I am sure Mr President now understand that Singapore is not really democractic and there is no freedom to express, even if it is the truth.
Forget it lah, just go to Speaker’s Corner and hold it.
there are readers out here who can read the speech on the net, or view a webcast on youtube, or _______ fill-in-the-blanks alternative method should even youtube gets blocked a la china-style.
bring it on.
I am stunned. On what ground is the National Library Board basing its decision to bar Mr Vincent Cheng from speaking at the event? Is the NUS History Society satisfied with the basis of the NLB’s decision? What does it say about the kind of teaching provided at NUS if students are restrained from hearing first hand accounts from likes of Mr Vincent Cheng? Is NLB trying to protect our young from possible lies or distortions of the truth? Is there a concern that our young will be unable to discern truth from untruths? Are our tertiary students in need of such protective measures? If our tertiary students cannot be left to think for themselves, then how can they be relied on as our future leaders, market movers and trailblazers?
what has happened here is something i would see as good. it has surfaced the concrete truth to show many fence sitters what the real situation is.
Bernard, whatever is the intention of your history society for this event, you and your team have done a great service to the general public (online). you raise the veil that covers that truth and everyone can now see a specific example of how, a simple event your society is organising, is so intolerable. this by itself is also history in the making.
i am sure your cohort in NUS as well as other universities in Singapore will open their eyes wider to see for themselves what is going on. this bodes well for future politicians of Singapore.
Have a video conference style. I will join!
Vicent trying to present his side of Singapore history is educational. NLB has no rights to bar Singaporeans from knowing more about Vincent. We have seen many senior political ministers who passed off leaving behind many untold stories. Why deprive a person rights to speak while he is still around and only to honour him when he is dead. Singapore is not always about PAP. This island is formed by many factors and PAP is just a small portion of nation building. We are tired of always being fed with PAP here and PAP there leaving no room for anyone else. This is extremely suffocating for an island already so small. Time to move on and hear other veteran side of the coins and only than can we truly appreciate the complete history we are proud to call our own – be it good or bad – everyone has the part to contribute and not just one-sided PAP view.
My faith in the system is restored.
I was wondering if the iron grip of PAppy was weakened when I saw the venue.
#Bernard Chen Jiaxi,
I am very proud of you & your team, firstly, in trying to organise an event, such as the above,inclusive of people who played a part in Singapore’s history.
And further pleased to see your sense of responsibiliy & moral courage in clarifying the issue with us all and especially doing your best to appease Mr.Cheng.
Thank You & keep it up.
We know what is happening and why the storybook warehouse is trying to steamroll you & your teams effort.
Kindly ask Vincent about his conditions for his release, that could be the only reason and would he contravene THAT condition please try to consider Mr Cheng and his family, maybe when he is an octogenarian or retired elsewhere will the truth and nothing but the truth so help him GOD be known.
Oh my God when has LKY become a legalised gangster!
History is always written by the person holding the gun.
The truth always hurt.Some cannot handle the truth.
Some decision maker in NLB is taking a hardline to NUS History Society over this Vincent Cheng invitation.
I believe this person is a coward.
A self-appointed, self-censored, politically-correct & kiasu civil servant thinking his action to prevent Vincent Cheng speaking on his premise will elicit a pat or two from his ISD masters.
While I applaud Bernard Chen for inviting Vincent Cheng in the 1st place – what were his actual motives ? Does he have the guts to stand up for his principles? Now as a society, he has rescinded his earlier initiative to read Vincent Cheng’s speech at the event. Now, the latest is the event is ON HOLD – may not be held as scheduled.
What a shame on PS21 & inclusive society platitudes !
Only gullable people would believe Vincent Cheng will be allowed to speak on the NUS platform
We are North Korea the 2.
The first announcement that Vincent will speak surprises me.
The second annoucement that he is now barred from speaking doesn’t.
That says alot about the political situation that we are in now. PAP is controlling everything.
Also is it because PAP doesn’t want the truth to be out and that is why Vincent is barred from speaking..
it doesn’t take alot of intelligence for everyone to know the true colours of our governing party..
you still want to vote for them ??? sighhzzzz
If our tertiary students cannot be left to think for themselves, then how can they be relied on as our future leaders, market movers and trailblazers?
Don’t worry lah! the future leaders will come from the Lee regime only!
So the authorities are scared that he still pose a security threat to society being a Marxist communist ?
Or scared that the real truth cannot be handled ?
Or scared that people will no longer believe the lies that were told to us previously ?
Vincent, there’s always opportunity for you to speak the truth, for the truth will set you free. You can speak openly in Facebook!
How can the Organizer not know WHY the invited speaker was barred?
Why make singapore sound like a SECRETIVE PLACE where why things happen is unknown to the Organizer, in this case?
Pls lah, many FTs, foreigners and new citizens are reading this blog also, sometimes.
Won’t this event give sg a bad name?
Maybe the pink dotters can comment on this. I regard them as the most manly in terms of courage to step forward and standup for their rights and creative and initiative.
This is outrageous. What give the Library the power to bar a Singapore citizen from speaking in a public forum without giving a cause? If the Library is taking instruction from another government agency in this particular case then the question is whether it had wander away from its objective of providing “trusted and accessible” information services. The episode is a mockery of its mission statement – “Fostering a knowlegeable community, forging an engaged society”
The National Library Board is sponsoring the facilities and resources to the NUS History Society. So long the speakers are officially invited and the facilities and resources are not misused or abused, it is beyond our comprehension why NLB should tell the organisers who can or cannot speak.
Just get Cheng to record his speech in Youtube … it will be view by millions.
sg has changed since 50 years ago right? erm , am i right huh?
This is not an issue of what Vincent is going to speak. This is an onslaught on the civil liberties of Singapore. NLB action affronts us, citizens of Singapore
“A self-appointed, self-censored, politically-correct & kiasu civil servant thinking his action to prevent Vincent Cheng speaking on his premise will elicit a pat or two from his ISD masters.”
Evidence of systemic eradication of free speech in S’pore?
If indeed the decision was the brainchild of a over-zealous civil servant, then the organisers should question the decision and not just accept it just like that.
For now, it seems the organisers have accepted NLB’s decision.
What reasons did the NLB give for banning Mr Vincent Cheng and did the organisers agree with and find the reasons acceptable? What kind of reason will be a good one to justify banning of Mr Vincent Cheng?
If we just meekly and resignedly accept decisions that have no proper basis, then we have only ourselves to blame for the state of affairs in Spore!
Would anyone still lambast or criticise WHY DR CHEE SOON JUAN WROTE ‘A Nation Cheated’ ???!!!!
And do we not stop carry PAPs fishballs??!!!
Dear Jeannette,
If you feel that strongly about academic freedom and freedom of speech in Singapore, why don’t you make it an political issue since you are a member of the Reform Party, aren’t you?
And while it is unfortunate that Vincent Cheng has been barred, I find it deplorable that people are insinuating that Bernard is a coward for giving in so easily. The NUS History Society is a student organisation and like other organisations, they are expected to toe the line.
At the end of day, Bernard can protest till the cows come home or go on a hunger strike but to what avail? Expulsion from the university? Or blacklisted by the government? And when that happens, how many of you going to stand up for him? My guess would be none.
Why are we allowing the authorities to have the final say in this matter in the Internet era? Mr Vincent Cheng should just go ahead to blog about whatever to get it off his chest. Let the people judge.
The more they say they are liberalising, the more many things stay the same or even backwards.
NLB is funded by tax money, not PAP money
so why must they act like an agent of the
latter?
Dear All,
I think Vincent Cheng need to do now is to keep on and find different platform to tell his historic experiences.
It boggles my mind as to the complete absence of information from the organisers and facilitators as to how Mr Vincent Cheng was barred from speaking at an event he was invited to. It lacks grace. And worse, the organisers/facilitators appear to want to protect the information!! That is ever so silly.
I want to know if the ISD/police/thugs whoever called or harassed organisers/facilitators? That would be the most obvious first question. That is not rocket science. I want to know the reasons for barring Mr Vincent Cheng.
In a country that boasts a first world development, the complete rail-roading of a right of free speech by an published writer and sometime human rights defender is most appalling.
This incident should form part of the chronology of the suppression of free speech. It will go down in history of rights abuses.
What rule of law Singapore?
When the time this people get arrested for Communist conspiracy. Now it the clear picture who is the real communist. Dump multi million of $ into communist china.LKY is a real communist.
Guys, I urge that we do not comment on this issue further so as not to give a bad name or impression to foreigners who learn many good things about sg from the things they read. It may cause confusion in their minds, making them feel uncomfortable or suspect something.
this is a public website and it means even people in the USA can scan the web and find this article full of comments.
lets keep quite and dun rock the boat.
How come the PAP can interfere in NUS seminar? Oh ya, the PAP OWNS NUS…
==> Sssssh
what the point of looking good when we are not? you can remain as an ostrich. in this borderless world, there is no such thing as dun rock the boat. u are indeed foolish to think so.
if you cant stand the heat of truth here, i suggest you stay out of this. and by the way, we are not as good as what you want the foreigners to think we are.
“There is nothing to prevent you from pushing your propaganda, to push your programme out either to the students or with the public at large… and if you can carry the ground, if you are right, you win. That’s democracy. We’re not preventing anybody” ~ Lee Kuan Yew, 31 January 2005
That’s some BS on LKY “we’re not preventing anybody”. Sure some is self censorship but more is intimidation–all that f&*c&*^% rules on assembly, licensing, endless persecution…
Anonymous, am i right to say there is no Propaganda in MSM? I mean, everyone believes so right?
If not prove 1 propaganda that is officially declared as propaganda.
actually, i dunno lah, so i asking.
i really dunno wan.
Nobody cares, or at least not enough people care about the abuses by our government. They are always “moving on” and justifying the PAP government’s actions.
While everyone seem to be very quick to recognise the blind followers of certain churches, what is the difference between them and the idiot voters who return this govt back time after time after time ? I look at some pastors and I look at some of our ministers…I can’t tell the difference.
So can anyone blame those who finally give up their citizenship ?
I look at our youngsters, living in a world where truely important issues like human rights and democracy are swept under the carpet of dumb “o yeah o yeah” Olympic jingle used to rally their national pride. Can’t help feeling sorry for them.
I guess ignorance is bliss. So easy to just shout “I love Singapore” on National day after a fireworks show.
I think Vincent should go to the Speaker’s Corner or any blog on the net. This is the information age where there is no barrier to information and opinions !
I think the future will be brighter soon when MM meets Dr Goh and his son’s illness relapses.
I think SG is like a communist country by being so oppressing and autocratic !
The truth only hurts those who tries to conceal lies.
Political class here is like an empty suit treating citizenry like mushroom – best kept them in the dark of truth and history. Is there a bottom they would not stoop lower to steal glory in the shame of disgusting deeds?
Or is someone fearful of George Orwell’s skeleton rumbling loudly in protest, less the “peasants” might wake up to ask what was going on?. Or is there a taboo subject for cooling off public discussions beyond the cooling off day before voting?
Public education is true liberation. If anyone wants to boycott this learning of history, that is also fine. But how about not oppressing all others from receiving “education” of our true history??.
Is that too much to ask?
singapore is china
this is just disgraceful. Wild Rice does animal farm and gets its funding cut. now this. the arseh…. who run our government are scared out of their pants that people will realise that that is exactly what they are