By Ng E-Jay
Recent events have shown unequivocally that not only has the PAP government run the country as a police state, but also that the authorities are now getting panicky and desperate to the point that they are fumbling and making glaring mistakes.
Barely two weeks ago, a member of the National Solidarity Party (NSP) was fined by the National Environment Agency (NEA) for illegal hawking. (See here.) His alleged “offence”: Selling the party newspaper in a public area.
The NSP has written to NEA seeking a clarification on the matter, based on the fact that it was not engaging in any unhygienic activity, but merely promoting its political cause in a fashion that surely, in any democratic country, is 100% legitimate.
Apparently the authorities must have felt that NSP’s activities are politically unclean and pose a political health concern (to the PAP, that is).
To this date, as far as the NSP has revealed, the NEA has yet to reply on the matter.
This is a blatant example of how the authorities have used the rules to intimidate political opposition in an attempt to silence dissent. The motive behind the action of the authorities is clear: To scare new activists into refraining from engaging in political activity, and to curb the spread of undesirable publications, namely those espousing views different from that of the PAP.
It gets worse, however.
Barely days after the NSP member was fined, the Media Development Authority banned Martyn See’s film which shows a recording of a speech by former political prisoner Dr Lim Hock Siew.
Martyn See was ordered to take down the film from Youtube and surrender all copies of the film in his possession to the MDA, or risk facing possible jail terms and fines. He has complied with the order, but he also pointed out that anonymous people in cyberspace have chosen to continue distributing the film in defiance of the law.
Readers who also follow Malaysian politics would notice the close similarity in methods used by the ruling parties on both sides the causeway to clamp down unjustly on film-makers and activists and prevent the painful truth from being spread.
In its statement to the press, the MDA said that “the Singapore Government will not allow individuals who have posed a security threat to Singapore’s interests in the past, to use media platforms such as films to make baseless accusations against the authorities, give a false portrayal of their activities in order to exculpate their guilt, and undermine public confidence in the Government in the process“.
The MDA is basically asserting that it alone is the arbiter of right and wrong, of truth and fiction, of constructive content or destructive dialogue, that it alone has the power to judge whether a certain content is accurate or not, and to ban it if it feels it is inaccurate, in the name of protecting the public interest.
There is no opportunity for dialogue and debate. There is no chance for dissent and criticism, no avenue to express a view different from that of the establishment. Either remove the banned content, or face jail time, regardless of the underlying facts, regardless of whether the content was created to distort the truth, or expose the truth.
If that is not enough, just last Saturday, a Lianhe Wanbao reporter was handcuffed and detained by the police for an hour because he was taking pictures of the flood.
Apparently, nowadays anyone who takes photographs that can potentially embarrass the government may be given the Chee Siok Chin treatment.
Fortunately, the reporter is from the mainstream press and could use the power of his editorial to expose the injustice. His outrageous story was given front page attention on his own Daily on Saturday. If he had been from alternative media instead, his case would never have been known to the general public because it would have been covered up.
According to the police statement, the reporter, Mr Shafie Goh, was trying to take photos in the middle of the road and he had been repeatedly asked to move to a safe place as he was taking photos in a dangerous position. But, according to the police, he refused to comply, and continued walking along the road divider, snapping away. Officers then handcuffed him. The police said Mr Goh was not wearing any media identification at the time, and officers claim they were not aware that he was from the press.
Lianhe Wanbao said that it refutes these claims made by the police.
Minister for Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim told Parliament on Monday that there is no ministry policy that prohibits the taking of flood pictures. But he went no further than that.
When the authorities get desperate enough and the embarrassment to the Government gets acute enough, they fumble, sometimes outrageously. That was what happened to reporter Mr Shafie Goh. Mr Yaacob Ibrahim could only offer empty assurances that did absolutely nothing to address the injustice and humiliation Mr Goh had suffered. Obviously he is at a loss for words regarding this incident, because it is so closely connected with his own ineptitude at handling the flood situation.
On Sunday morning, British author Alan Shadrake was arrested for criminal defamation and contempt of court, in connection with his book “Once A Jolly Hangman” that was launched on 17 July. Mr Shadrake’s book is about Singapore’s mandatory death penalty for drug traffickers.
Mr Shadrake has been granted bail and has Mr M Ravi acting as his counsel.
Choo Zheng Xi of The Online Citizen speculates that the use of the draconian law of criminal defamation as well as contempt of court was motivated by Mr Shadrake’s story about the trial and execution of Vignes Mourthi which he described as “arguably one of the most appalling miscarriages of justice in Singapore’s history“.
And to show just how tight the noose can get (no pun intended), anti-death penalty activist Rachel Zeng was apparently harassed last week. Rachel was one of the organizers of Mr Shadrake’s book launch in Singapore.
How low can the powers-that-be get? How idiotic and moronic is all this?
All these incidences, put together, paint a grim picture of a government that is surely losing control of itself.
Facing embarrassment from so many different angles and having had its incompetence as well as its draconian, autocratic ways highlighted for all the world to see and to condemn, the authorities have begun to fumble and make glaring errors that have only worsened the situation for themselves and heightened the embarrassment they are suffering.
The only viable solution for them is to admit they have steered Singapore down the wrong path and have committed human rights atrocities on their political opponents.
But to compel the authorities to admit the grave folly of their ways, we need a strong opposition presence inside and outside of Parliament, a political opposition that is able and willing to speak up on BOTH bread and butter issues AS WELL AS broader issues like democracy, social justice, and the rule of law.
If not, we’ll just be running around in circles and it will be cold day in hell before the PAP government even comes close to admitting it is blatantly in the wrong.
HELP keep the voice of TOC alive!
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Thank you Mr Ng for the well written article.
Abuse of power to me is a form of corruption. They have been abusing their power for decades since coming into power.
I do wish there is a more balance cabinet. However the sad fact is, though I am willing to vote for the opposition, there is no particular party I support because they are rather ‘weak’. It will be good if they can come together and be a force for PAP to reckon with.
All know how PAPayans run SG, where got give chance to Chiam, Low or Chee one leh.. dont have! In my 40 yrs of voting, I only get to vote 1 time only, and that was in Cheng San GRC. Then they shift the goal post and redraw boundary to Punggol/Pasir Ris GRC. Hougang where got near Pasir Ris leh??? As MM Lee say, Kiasi is worse than Kiasu. With Kiasi-ism, where got ppl want to go against PAPayans, tell me. More migrants granted by PAPyans will lead to new citizens voting for PAP. Opposition where got chance… I can foresee it will be 10-15 yrs before SG-reans wake up and stand for their own rights. Meanwhile, lets hope Aljunied GRC can be the starting point for opposition entrance into Parliament. Its sad, isnt it?
Sounds like PAP is abuse of power. Shuldn’t they be charge for sedition instead?
“a political opposition that is able and willing to speak up on BOTH bread and butter issues AS WELL AS broader issues like democracy, social justice, and the rule of law.”
This is an important statement, but it has been shown that Sinkees are not swayed by such highfalutin ideals. These are for academics and belly-gazing rich people. They want their lift upgrading, free shark’s fin soup and sheltered walkways before voting for you!
@georgia tong:
It’s people like you whom the PAPayas had instilled fear that they liked! So you have no choice but to vote PAP. So why even bother coming to post your comments.
If you have a child, a fresh graduate, who is going into the business world to work, would you have prayed and hoped that some organisation gave him a start in life. Frankly, your child don’t deserve the it, because you didn’t give the opposition the chance!
Police state? Let’s not exaggerate.
The greater the control, the better the jokes. Quality of jokes is so-so. When the quality of jokes improves to that of those from Burma, then there is a police state.
For a moment I thought we live in Myanmar and this cuntry is run by JUNTA
@georgia tong
What do you expect the ‘weak’ opposition to do?
Work out in the gym day and night and display their muscles or work on getting few a more academic degrees and put them on display?
Strength of the alternative parties start US, if we think they are needed.
I totally support Mr Shafie Goh. Everybody has the civil rights to be at a public place to witness a natural phenomenon. Journalists especially has the right to report new in the public interests. The Police has no rights to restrain peaceful people like Mr Shafie Goh who did not use violence or force against the Police. This is a gross violation of Human Rights in Singapore.
It is my personal opinion that Singapore has an environment of authoritarianism, both in the government, and to a lesser extend also in the private sector. The private sector gets its cue from the government.
I’ve experienced many instances of authoritarian behaviour from government servants, such as police officers, immigration officers, carpark attendents, security personnel, officious election officers among others. They have no respect for the legitimate and lawful civil rights of citizens.
These people think that they are so powerful that everybody has to listen and obey their every command, however unreasonable they may be. They think that wearing the uniform gives them extraordinary powers to abuse ordinary citizens anyway and anyhow they like. They could just issue you with a summons ticket, just by gesturing to you, and you are expected to understand what they want you to obey them immediately, just a few seconds to ask for an explanation, and you are given the ticket. No use to argue or protest. They don’t understand the word “respect” for the man in the street. On the contrary, they think that they are so powerful that they expect you to obey them immediately and instantly, although you may have the lawful right as a citizen of Singapore. These bad hats may form a minority of the police force and government officers, but if they are not disciplined by those higher ups responsible for their actions, then Singapore’s reputation as an authoritarian place will be confirmed to not only its citizens, but also to the rest of the world as well.
Credit must be given to online journalists for exposing the truth. Main stream media has long way to go before reaching such credibility. However, don’t expect them to feel remorseful until such time they felt Singaporeans have been betrayed deep enough to touch their soul. It will be too late by then to nurse their unethical guilt. Those who contributed here may feel helpless at times, but there is every reason to hold our head high with clear conscience and point finger at msm for idoling those who don’t deserve to be praised.
When one wears a state uniform, in many colors or hue, one “automatically” became the “gun” telling others not in line, to buck up or face the “gun”
Our society has became “one man show”, any man will do, as long as one wears the right “colors”
Look at HDB, SMRT, NEA, etc etc, and the list goes on…..
I remember some many years back I received a notice to report to Tanglin Police station about some TV licensing issues which I did so. You know what happen at the station? to my shocking I was told to empty everything in my possession and I am going to be locked up in the jail becos I did not pay up that some $90 or $100 Tv license. Good joke right? and this can only happen in Singapore . . . tsk tsk tsk!
Think of the alternative,
Perhaps some in the civil service might want to have change and thus are creating changes by using unusual force and negative publicity..
Just to show people that, its not all that fine with this govt.
This might be the change coming from within.
A clear distinction between Wanbao’s stand against the SPF words.
It might seem, sort of haphazard, but from the looks of Alan Shadrake’s arrest. It seems someone just wanted to highlight this issue. Show the world and us Singapporean what is going on.
Making people take notice of the failings of the system.
I know there are many in the civil service who carrying themselves as proud Singaporeans and not PAP lapdogs. They know the lapdogs exist and they know they are smarter then the lapdogs.
Therefore, it cuts both ways, their actions to show the weaknesses & fumble of the PAP party.
We are living in interesting times and as 1 people, we need to lift the challenge to a higher level. What TOC is doing is just great.
1 of this day the polis in short pants would brin you peeps to the new national stadium where they would used rubber hose..car battery cable and 1 single bullet…
Very well-written summary on the events that transpired for the past few weeks/months. Keep ‘em coming.
@tiredsingaporean
u serious or not… got such thing meh? wah lao aey…
Dear Reasonable Citizen
Please read before jumping to conclusion. Did I say anything about voting for a particular party ?
Why do you conclude I vote for certain party then ?
Where there is strong opposition party in your ward, like Potong Pasir…lead by Mr Chiam, the choice is obvious.
For other GRC – there is either no voting or credible opposition to vote for. So….there are other solution beside casting the vote for the existing party.
Don’t you know ?
Dear Sawdust & Reasonable Citizens
My previous reply is meant for Sawdust. Anyway to answer both of you, there are many ways to show our discontent.
Blogging, civil disobedience, commentaries to the papers which unfortunately are heavily edited most of the time even if published.
Save your energy to critize the govt unreasonable policies and not fellow supporters of Onlinecitzen.
i note from the reports yesterday that in the parliamentary sitting, in listing the various measures that PUB can help to alleviate flooding, he used the term “and what-have-you”s quite a bit.
Does he or does he not know what is required to be done. “What-have-you” is a term loosely used by one to cover up a lack of detailed information. Huh ? This coming from a Minister who is supposed to stand up to clarify ? so much for high calibre ministers who can’t deliver when faced with a crisis…
Investigation is getting to all the root causes of the matter. It is not about coming up with more excuses and trying to point fingers in another direction to distract from being accountable and responsible.
PUB will be installing more flood sensors to give early warning. But exactly how much time people have for flood preparation is not mention. What is the purpose of all these sensors if the preparation time is not sufficient ?
Besides, flood warning system is not preventive measure – it is reactive. Having more sensors may result in more false alarms. When people hear the cry of wolves too often, they may not react when the real wolves come.
It will also jack up maintenance cost. Should there be frequent false alarm, it could cause public inconvenient. Poor quality investigation done will only result in inefficiency and ineffectiveness when addressing the flood problem, as the root causes are not address.
Definitely, PAP and agents are abusing their power like policeman case, NEA, and Martyn See’s filming case.
To all highly local talents and professioners, please put your careers aside temporarily and come out to save our native Singaporeans. Our country is in a mess now. Please, please, do somthings about before it is too late. Come out to contest the coming general election. Our natives need you!
The recent incidents involving our police force gives me the feeling that they are serving the governing party more than for the commoners. They better not forget they are 100% public servants, and not even 1% PAPs’.
We heard the son of DPM Wong Kang Seng lives in the condo where the Wan Bao photographer were taking photos, and that’s why the policeman acted in a defensive way.
People and vehicles are not allowed to be near the homes of PAP politicians’ and their families. We get shooed away and cars towed away if parked near them.
We have experienced being told to leave immediately, else action would be taken.
So paranoid and scared to this extent is not worthy as a politician, who must have guts and not afraid of facing death.
The Singaporre Police force is getting lazier compared to HK. In Hongkong the police do street patrols in twos, pacing the streets on foot, watching out cimes or responding to calls for help at crime scenes. Our own Police cruise around in their aircon vehicles, or be seldom seen
around on the streets.
No wonder so many crimes committed by the FWs. Just a bunch of good for nothing
civil servants. Low crimes’ image of Singapore has been shattered in recent years. Low crime does not mean no crime.
I thought this is their message – this is like slapping their own face.
If what Ng E-Jay says is the true account of the incidents, why not be a champion of the underdog and he files a civil suit against the agency concerned so that the gahmen can defend it publicly for all of us to see?
It is a law that any organisation engaging activities in the public should apply for a permit. Without prejudice, what if members of a terrorist cell engages an activity of selling their organisation’s newspaper in Raffles Place or Orchard Road? The law has to look after the people. Common sense, isn’t it?
My Views 21 July 2010
It is a law that any organisation engaging activities in the public should apply for a permit. Without prejudice
…………………
you meant pap party got apply permit mey?
somemore more than 4 people..worst of all they closed kallang stadium just to hold a party with free polismen on duty to direct traffics..
i saw you as well..you were walkin behin the minister holdin his 2 balls…
i was the ura partimer warden on duty
cannot even summoned 1 car…
Dear Georgia Tong,
The opposition parties are definitely not weak. They are strong. Strong in character, strong in commitment and in high moral ground. On the contrary it is the RP that are weak. So weak that they need draconian powers methods to stay in power, need the press to create the impression that they are strong when actually they are bankrupt in moral authority. Pound for pound, the opposition MPs have shown their superiority over the Ministers. There are more even better ones waiting for you to support.
The PAP govt has proven itself to be incompetent. The PM is useless. Nothing else to say.
To geogia tong,
how do you judge the oppositions as weak ? Newspapers said they are weak, so many ppl thought so.Is it because PAP say they are weak ? Good ones are bankcrupted and sued,so how to judge,weak or strong ? Let me tell you many pap MPS are weak but they enter parliament by back door.This is called legalised cheating.
Thanks for this great article.
????what if members of a terrorist cell engages an activity of selling their organisation’s newspaper in Raffles Place or Orchard Road?????
common sense lah ? you just arrest a terrorist cell even if there is no law to do it ? the public will support you for doing a good job for taking the right initiative ?
so what if there is a law and it gets abused – no one will come out any wiser.
@My Views
“It is a law that any organisation engaging activities in the public should apply for a permit. Without prejudice, what if members of a terrorist cell engages an activity of selling their organisation’s newspaper in Raffles Place or Orchard Road? The law has to look after the people. Common sense, isn’t it?”
Agree, now just replace selling newspapers to breaking into MRT & Bus depot. We cannot issue permits for that but we should hang the people responsible for it security of access.
Minister has three mouth. Second flood occur-the Minister are scare to be blame. So blame on the reporter. if U have no intention to take photoraph the flood won’t come just because U intend to take photo the flood come.So the Misiter is not at fault. Is the reporter at fault.
Moe Gan Thai.The PaP is not only legalise cheating they are also legalise robber. Could Everyone living in Singapore look at your PUB Bill. One gallon water how much U’re paying ???????
Come on, this case isn’t a conspiracy within the government involving the highest levels. That’s exaggeration.
The resolution lies in establishing whose version of the “truth” is real.
In the end, it might well be a case of 2 individuals misundertanding each other while shouting in the rain. Right?
Imagine, I was away only for the weekend and so much had happened.
Why has PAP become so ‘kiasee’ and ‘kiasiu’. Is there not justice in S’pore’s judiciary system and is S’pore really becoming a police state?? Why charge Alan Shadrake when he is writing the truth.SO THE TRUTH HURTS! It is only PAP that says otherwise. And is there really no freedom of expression in S’pore. Even a demure pettite young lady like Rachel Zeng is being ‘harrassed’ for promoting “Once A Jolly Hangman’.
And now it is banned !!
This will be the turning point of enough is enough. PAP is reacting IRRATIONALLY as we can see with their absolute power and law… But we as CITIZENS will act RATIONALLY in this coming election and put more opposition voice in parliament and eventually, slowly but surely VOTE PAP OUT FOR GOOD.
E-jay, In fact I stopped writing on the onlinecitizen and temasek review because of the partiality of not knowing what to moderate. And now back from my trip, commenting on E-Jay’s article and ho and behold!,I am moderated again.
E-Jay, please check with Andrew Loh, since you are my friend as to what is the criteria on moderating.
I will not waste my time to write again. I had since never written on temasekreview. i used to write using my pseudonym ‘leesjuanpat’ but now I use my real make Patrick Lee S J.
This is more the reason Singapore need to have a two-party political system and have it entrenched! All of the Asian countries are already way ahead of Singapore in this respect and we must play catch-up!
The PAP government runs the country like a auto pilot mode or self correcting programs. The architect has build in all these features he deem necessary and no one has the courage to change it. Until the day we have fundamentally changes to the leadership team nothing will change, the system is oiled and proven (text book), no one from within PAP can change it. I am pessimistic that the more opposition forces surface the more correction will come from PAP, the only solution to this problem is a sudden tip over in the distribution of power.
it is time to tell the police that we want freedom and freedom in singapore
My Views, 21 july 2010
quote: “Without prejudice, what if members of a terrorist cell engages an activity of selling their organisation’s newspaper in Raffles Place or Orchard Road?”
if that happens, such people are not much of a threat anymore right? the more society shuns them, the less they are able to justify their violent ways. that itself is a good thing.
ehh, i mean the LESS society shuns them…
To think of it,how come PAP MP Amy Khor come out and speak about how Marina Barrage(MM’s baby) help ease floods? Is she expert on drainage or she just try to act hero to “cover”for MM huh?
Like that everytime got problem,the one responsible never show up but some other “sacrificial lamb” come out to confuse us,how can?
As long as the narrator of that Singapore documentary,’City made from the sky’ shown in the World’s Expose in China is still alive,no one can change the ways he sees it,not even his own son.Alas!,all these incidents happened not at the right time.
Nothing wrong with a police state if the police in question actually do their job and catch real crooks.
Unfortunately we live in a police state where the police are only capable of catching and jailing old men who cannot even organise getting out of bed let alone a revolution against the government.
Seriously is Lim Hock San a bigger threat to public security than Mas Selamat? I mean they can ban Lim Hock San from YouTube but they can’t hold Mas Selamat in a cell..please tell me how that makes sense?
is the SPF that effective and prepared?
why then did those guys let that romanian go and then try to catch him later on?
why no ‘HANDCUFFS’ for those INDIAN FT bullies at the NEW YEAR BASH in SENTOSA ?
were there no policeman at all on duty?
the police is only good at bullying humble honest non-aggressive singaporeans but cowed at the sight of villains.
what good is the police if it knows only how to bully citizens who pay their salaries.
aren’t they worse than dogs who bite the hands that feed them?
It’s just one police office
***In the end, it might well be a case of 2 individuals misundertanding each other while shouting in the rain. Right?***
oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah yeah !!!!
misunderstanding ? sure ! and after the shouting, it ended with one being handcuffed ?
i am already 37 of age with 3 boys, i am hoping that my kids doesn’t have to grow up in such state… :(
walamak,
is there a o-ba-ma in this red dot?
“CHANGE”
walamak