~from: Ministry of Home Affairs~
The 16 ex-detainees call for a Commission of Inquiry (see HERE) to investigate their detentions. The subversion and violence of the Communist insurgency from the 1940s to the 1970s are a historical reality. The Government’s actions against the Marxist plot in the late 1980s were fully explained and justified at the time, and extensively debated in Parliament. These actual situations and events which were real threats to Singapore’s security cannot simply be dismissed as “rhetoric”, as the ex-detainees now try to do.
The detentions under the ISA were made for valid security reasons and properly dealt with according to the law. Every case was reviewed at that time by the Advisory Board chaired by a Supreme Court judge. The Government sees no reason to conduct a review now, more than 20 years after the event, via a Commission of Inquiry.
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doppelganger 30 September 2011
I say to the 16 detainees. You are lucky that MHA denies a Commission of Inquiry. Such a Commission would find you all guilty AS A MATTER OF DEFINITION.
…………………………………………….
well said, doppelganger. that is the crux of the issue. the COI would be staffed with sycophants. good thing COI not convened, not bcoz the past sufferings are irrelevant, but bcoz the COI would further damn those 16.
What other reply can one expect? They will obviously not want to shoot themselves in the foot.
A COI will have to wait until a non-PAP government takes over.
Reminds me of how, only recently, were the Khmer Rouge leaders put on the spotlight for their misdeeds — after most of the chief culprits have died.
I will believe them if they send a petition to Queen Elizabeth and Malaysia Sultan. Did they? SDP instigated them for them.
Malaysian opposition party, Perkasa’s President says ISA repeal may affect security.
Perkasa’s President, Ibrahim Ali is a former ISA detainee.
ISA detainee say that himself. Go figure.
iow meh ? Ask again after “he” passes on.
“He” is still around lah ! You don’t want face , “he” still want his face
Past experience with the COI for the escape of Mas Selamat has shown that the PAP govt is not capable of appointing an INDEPENDENT commission!!!
@ Singaputra,
The problem about the SDP and some of their affiliates/associates is that they are often seen to choose not to work within the law as a first option or adopt grandeur plans eg COI rather than simple workable solutions. I would suggest that they do so.
You don’t need a COI to uncover points 1-6 stated. There are legal means to do so. If not sure, talk to a lawyer. I am not one so don’t ask me.
SG People paid million$ to have a whole bunch of Legalised Mafia! Damn!
20 years from now the JI detainees will also ask for COI. They can seek advice from Teo Soh Lung then.
” The Government sees no reason to conduct a review now, more than 20 years after the event, via a Commission of Inquiry”.
Oh my God, the above statement from THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS.
By the same argument, are the Police saying that any criminal offence committed more than 20 years ago cannot be investigated because the offence(s) was committed more than 20 years ago?
With MHA, there is no limit to stupidity.
sure, a coi chaired by tony tan, co-chaired by teo chee hian, and include personalities like jayakumar, george yeo and maybe lim boon heng and the supposed saint gerard ee etc. whats the point?!?
Give your evidence in a Court of Justice and not to the Press. If you dare not do it,then shut up and bury your head in the sand. You have lost the case.
A true blue Singaporean,
Come, come, MHA. All we want is, to know the truth, the whole truth and Nothing, but the Truth.
Why deprive us the privilege of knowing the truth? Are you guilty or what?
Democracy and Justice must prevail in our little paradise…Sin..ka…poor!
Agree? No?
Why not ask successful Singaporean businessman Ho Kwon Ping for the truth?
Do you know he was detained under ISA?
Do you see his name in the list of 16? What does this show?
over time, stories are made over and given salt and pepper.
20 years later, anyone and everyone from both sides can claim anything.
“20 years from now the JI detainees will also ask for COI. They can seek advice from Teo Soh Lung then.”
A malicious and despicable comment. We are talking about jailing political and social dissenters, not fanatical would-be terrorists. The Govt won’t have the competence and capability to catch the “real” terrorist. They have to rely on our more street smart neighbouring countries to nab them on Singapore’s behalf. All Gahmen have to do is to pay them.
@Popcorn,
“We are talking about jailing political and social dissenters,”
Be logical a bit. My rationale is simple.
JBJ is a sharp, charismatic Workers Party member and member of Parliament before the Leftist’s arrest. Chiam See Tong is in political office since 1984. My aunt stays in Potong Pasir. She only sing praises of Chaim. The recent GE is just unfortunate for him.
Anyway, JBJ gave more problems. Was he ISA-ed?
You go figure.
I repeat myself again: “20 years from now the JI detainees will also ask for COI. They can seek advice from Teo Soh Lung then.”
Why would successful businessman Ho Kwon Ping upset his ricebowl by including his name in the list of 16?
Busy expanding his business empire all over the world, enlarging his piggy bank.
Vit M tops anything, no brain.
popcorn
you are right,why would a ‘now’ super-rich enriched HO KWON PING rock his boat?
he even sits on govt bodies and companies.
even many among our ‘once poor’ ministers and other prominent MIWs just want to fill up their deep pockets and prefer to remain ‘silent’.
COI or NO COI here,there will still be a COI before THE MAKER;it is better to feel sorry now than later.
Not political in nature? The “Marxists” were deemed political dissenters, thrown into jail, flimsily charged as Communists out to subvert the system, start a revolution and throw the PAP out of Parliament.
Go on, repeat yourself until siow twenty years from now, by then all the fabricators are probably in urns already.
@Pocorn,
—
Why would successful businessman Ho Kwon Ping upset his ricebowl by including his name in the list of 16?
Busy expanding his business empire all over the world, enlarging his piggy bank.
Vit M tops anything, no brain.
—-
u answered your own question.
Communists don’t believe in Vitamin M. Communism doesn’t work thus Ho Kwon Ping 弃暗投明.
But from these nonsense, it is obvious Teo Soh Lung and the others are holding on to their leftist ideals.
How many people did the Communism Party of Malaya killed? 10,000?
Teo Soh Lung can be JI advisor
communists don’t believe in vitamin M?
but,they do believe in becoming ‘multi-millionaires’ by screwing up their simpler ‘peasant’ countrymen ,not unlike how our non-communist ‘leeders’ are doing?
“”Ask Ho Kwon Ping 30 September 2011
Why not ask successful Singaporean businessman Ho Kwon Ping for the truth?
Do you know he was detained under ISA?
Do you see his name in the list of 16? What does this show?”"
Well I dont think HKP wont tell the truths. But WTF you think the rest don’t tell the truths JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT RICH – bloody fkc what kind of logic you write.
“”Teo Soh Lung can be JI advisor. 30 September 2011
20 years from now the JI detainees will also ask for COI. They can seek advice from Teo Soh Lung then. “”
You are another idiot cock. Then I wish you die next month instead of living for the next 20 years !!!!
Based on their press release,the govt wants us to believe that Teo Soh Lung and Company are communists.
Over my dead body will I believe they are communists. They are as innocent as me, my wife,children and all other Singaporeans, unless proven in a Court of Justice with hard evidence. Otherwise, stop hoodwinking me and other Singaporeans with your absolute nonsensical statements in the press. They proved nothing other than your blatant attempt to cover up your political motives.
Shame on you, MHA.
@ Teo Soh Lung can be JI advisor
“Communists don’t believe in Vitamin M” ?? Sure??
Read this : http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/09/mha-says-no-to-commission-of-inquiry/
“The luxury life for Kim Jong-Il’s family goes on regardless of the worsening suffering of North Koreans amid the third-generation succession,” the legislator said.
“Anyway, JBJ gave more problems. Was he ISA-ed?”
There are many ways to skin a cat. For JBJ, PAP bankrupted him instead….meaning he couldn’t run for election again. For the 16 detained, bankruptcy won’t work because they were not running for MP then
There are other specific laws that better targets terrorism, if that is the real aim of ISA. The reality is this: PAP wants to keep ISA in case it needs to use it against their political opponents. That is the ONLY reason
The better example, imho, would have been Chee rather than JBJ. JBJ was elected so one might argue that PAP was scared to go against its own political system.
Chee, has not been elected. If the ISA had been used against him, considering that ex-PMs called him a political gangster, it would have validated talk of the ISA being used against political opponents. They could have easily used the ISA to gag someone who still persists in engaging in inconvenient & often embarrassing politics.
The fact that it was not used in Chee’s case undermines that argument. The weak, unsubstantiated and apparent biased posts/rhetoric only solidifies the impression that the anti-ISA grounds are not strong. This impression is further bolstered by the mere dismissal or inability to argue against the use of non-judicial detention against terror suspects as is happening in the world today.
Based on the above, it would difficult to argue that the 16 are mere neutrals or god forbid, closet govt supporters. The continued actions of 16 appear to confirm their continued anti-govt slant & ironically, in my eyes, makes the govt’s explanations then & now more convincing.
lim 30 September 2011
The fact that it was not used in Chee’s case undermines that argument.
………………………………………….
hey stupid, it was not used against Chee because Chee’s rhetoric did not appeal to the masses, and Chee not as charismatic as JBJ. if Chee was anywhere near JBJ,he would be a goner because he would pose a threat to old fart
ISA is an instrument that the PAP govt need to use to create and maintain fear among the opposition parties and the citizens. How else can you explain an incompetent govt staying in power for over 50 years while delivering nothing to its citizens? Their economic strategy? Simple. Just bring in 2 million uneducated and cheap foreign laborers to increase GDP and increase HDB prices to astronomical heights so as to pay off the high debts that they owed Singaporeans.
Terrorist threats? What threats? Just when was the last time a building was brought down by terrorists here or someone was killed by a terrorist? Never.
Which is a bigger threat? Terrorists or the ISA? The latter has already claimed the “lives” of innocent victims jailed without trial for as long as 32 years. Are we a nation gone mad or so obsessed with terrorism that we are prepared to imprison anybody without trial on the basis that some nebulous evidence showed that he is a likely terrorist? No, we have not gone mad or are obsessed with terrorism. The blatant truth is that the ISA is used to instill fear on the opposition parties and all those who are against the ruling party. And it has worked for over 50 years. Let the truth be told.
By denying the call for an independent inquiry, the government, once again showed its repressive style, and ever ready to use again. This ISA remains a threat not only to the oppositions, applies to anyone, whom they deemed, a challenge to the one party rule. Although, we got six oppositions now, that does not mean they are safe from ISD actions. The repressive rulers knows when and how to use the ISA card, at their choice time. It’s not so difficult for them to fabricate a reason- communist, terrorist, rightist, just shoved into our throats, and you got to take it.
What are they afraid of? The truth? Everyone in Singapore knows that ISA has been used on political opponents of the regime. This just reaffirm the truth.
Those who would sacrifice freedom for security deserve neither
— BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
C_O_W_A_R_D_S!!
That’s Why!!!!
Harry Lee is nothing but a political coward. I hope he lives to 150! He can suffer all the sicknesses of old age and suffer day and night.
What is the use of gaining the whole world and suffering the loss of one’s own soul. May all the spirits of his victims haunt him till he is mad. Who would believew that Woody GCT was responsible. He was a new PM then, He dares to do something like that without the consent and support of Harry? The words of Mr Devon Nair in conclusion; LKY is light years away from human greatness. To me he nothing but an animal of the lowest order.
Dear John
Please do not insult animals by comparing this old fart to them. Animals are never wilfully cruel! This ONE human being has wilfully caused the sufferings of so many innocent human beings to feed his EGO!
Dear Harry FART; Thank you for pointing out my factual error. My deepest apologies to all animals. It was truly an unjust comparison.
Bcoz sporlians WILL Accept, as ALWAYS.
Just vote pap out ge2016. Problems will be solved . Spore belongs to sporeans. Pray oppositions will form the new gov.
this can be explain why they say no
most obvious answer is
PAP judge
PAP law
PAP courtroom
PAP legislation
PAP cronies
PAP system
and PAP mafia GODFATHER
very obvious
The ex-detainees’ statement mentioned confessions were extracted through torture. MHA’s response completely evades the accusation.
“You want the truth ? You can’t handle the truth !” Looks like there are many, dead & alive who cannot…. Sorry, I meant those still alive . Sad.
ai yoh, you all dafts mean you’re not in commie island now ???
why then your cpf is lock up ????
because you’re “STUPID” ?????
CANNOT HANDLE MONEY, THAT IS WHY GOV GET YOU ALL TWO CASINO LAH ,,,,
YOU ALL ARE DAFTS, LIVING IN DAFT LKY’S ISLAND………
GET USED TO COMMIE MIW RUNNED ISLAND !!!
By denying the strong public call for an independent commission is pulling the society further apart. The fear in the division of society, cautioned by LHL, is not only at manageable level, but by their own doings are increasing at a alarming quantum. The proof may have to be 2016.
Why are comments disabled for this rubbish letter?
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_718398.html
@Farting Harry
Why are comments disable for this rubbish letter?
Many pappies related clips or article have their comments disabled. Perhaps they don’t want to be too embarassed by the tsunami of negative responses. This is the doings of someone who is guilty and has lots of s**t to hide!
Injustice is good for them. They ask you to forget about justice.
test
It is interesting that government statements are now released as if there is an omnipresent sentinent being in each department. Who is signing off in these statements? Why hide behind the skirts of civil servants. Have the courage of your convictions. At least, these 16 who called for the COI did. They went through hell and came back swinging. I just hope that I will live to see justice done one day.
The mha simply rejected.
This also showed the oppo is weak n they can only ask but never have power to do anything though 5 or 6 are well compensated by people’s money now.
Mao, where r u ? What u’ve been doing bro?
in the absence of light, darkness prevails…
is there something lurking in the dark that does not wish to be revealed? can justice really be served when decisions are cloaked in darkness, actions not fully justified in the eyes of the public?
maybe the detentions were made by far-right lunatic fringes in our former cowboys town (T. Pagar?)?
Yeeehoooowwwww!!