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Truth/Propaganda?

29 July 1987: Chiam’s finest hour (part one)

29 July 1987: Chiam’s finest hour (part one)

Oct. 3 | In support of the 16 ex-detainees call for Commission of Inquiry to investigate their detentions, TOC republishes this article which first appeared in TOC on May 20, 2009. –   “You have got powers of detention without trial. You say you...

TOC Exclusive: Teo Soh Lung – In her own words (part one)

TOC Exclusive: Teo Soh Lung – In her own words (part one)

Oct. 2 | In support of the 16 ex-detainees’ call for the Commission of Inquiry to investigate their detentions, TOC republishes this article which first appeared in TOC on May 19, 2009. – Next on TOC: Lone opposition MP in Parliament in 1987, Mr Chiam...

Passion for activism extinguished…but not for long

Passion for activism extinguished…but not for long

Oct. 1 | In support of the 16 ex-detainees call for Commission of Inquiry to investigate their detentions, TOC republishes this article which first appeared in TOC on May 18, 2009. – This is the first part of a week-long focus on The Online Citizen of the...

The strange case of the missing sentence

The strange case of the missing sentence

Dec. 9 | Between Nov 15, and Nov 16, Today and Channel Newsasia -both owned by Mediacorp –  posted the same article by Sara Grosse online, under slightly different headlines. (‘ComCare applications decrease this year‘ – CNA Nov 15  and ’Fewer...

Not a grain of truth in sand export claims, says Cambodian Government

Not a grain of truth in sand export claims, says Cambodian Government

May. 13 | The Royal Embassy of Cambodia (London) sent this response to TOC, with regards to the allegations made by Global Witness: —————————- The Royal Government of Cambodia has reacted angrily to malicious...

The slippery slope, the greasy pole

The slippery slope, the greasy pole

May. 12 | Reading Today‘s report on what Law Minister K Shanmugam said, regarding the (mandatory) death penalty, makes one rather sad. The minister, it seems, has chosen to put out a soundbite and ignored all the nuances, issues and questions which have...

ST’s Rachel Chang accuses Singapore government of being polarised

ST’s Rachel Chang accuses Singapore government of being polarised

Feb. 5 | From Gangasudhan‘s blog… A friend forwarded me the text of an opinion piece that I hear from another friend appears on Page 2 of today’s paper – since I no longer subscribe to the paper, I have no idea. The reporter, Rachel Chang,...

TOC Editorial: But butterflies are free

TOC Editorial: But butterflies are free

May. 26 | Singaporeans should question the relevance of the Internal Security Act Invoking the memory of the so-called “Marxist conspiracy” of 1987, in which more than 22 citizens were detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for supposedly conspiring...

1987 “Marxist Conspiracy”? People are just “jealous”, says letter to ST forum

1987 “Marxist Conspiracy”? People are just “jealous”, says letter to ST forum

May. 26 | Letter to the Straits Times forum by Lionel De Souza: I READ last Friday’s report, ‘Ex-ISA detainees remember 1987 arrests’, with some consternation. I cannot fathom the necessity to resurrect and commemorate the arrest of members of...

“Operation Spectrum was political rape”

“Operation Spectrum was political rape”

May. 26 | The Online Citizen officially ends its “Marxist Conspiracy: Truth or Government Propaganda” Special Feature Week with this article. We thank our readers for their patience and indulgence as we took the week to highlight the events of 1987....

1989 – Lee Kuan Yew’s defamation suit against FEER

1989 – Lee Kuan Yew’s defamation suit against FEER

May. 24 | Nathaniel Koh This article consists mainly of excerpts from the Straits Times and the Wall Street Journal. Overview In September 1989, then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew sued the Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER) over an article related to the “Marxist...

That we may dream again – book review by Chee Siok Chin

That we may dream again – book review by Chee Siok Chin

May. 23 | The following is a review of the book, That We May Dream Again, by Ms Chee Siok Chin in March 2009. The book is a collection of writings by several former Internal Security Act detainees, including some of those who were detained in 1987,  about their...

Let the people judge

Let the people judge

May. 22 | Andrew Loh / With special thanks to Martyn See On 10 June 1987, Mr Tan Wah Piow released a book, which few Singaporeans would have known or know about. It was called, “Let the people judge – Confessions of the most wanted person in Singapore.” The...

Remembering the 22

Remembering the 22

May. 22 | Video by Ho Choon Hiong Andrew Loh / Pictures courtesy of Jacob George In a simple but solemn gathering at Speakers’ Corner on Thursday, about 100 people observed the 22nd anniversary of the arrest and detention of 22 social activists by the Internal...

Teo Soh Lung – In her own words (Part Two)

Teo Soh Lung – In her own words (Part Two)

May. 22 | The following is an email interview with Ms Teo Soh Lung, who was arrested in 1987 and detained under the Internal Security Act for two and a half years. You can read Part One here. TOC: What motivated your involvement in social activism? How were you...

Chiam’s finest hour (part two): the government responds

Chiam’s finest hour (part two): the government responds

May. 21 |     “I think he could not understand the truth of this incident or he would not want to understand the truth of this incident. If he could not understand the matter then his political consciousness or understanding is very low. If he does not want...

Was it a Red or White conspiracy?

Was it a Red or White conspiracy?

May. 21 | Breaking News: 100 people turned up at Speakers’ Corner Thursday evening to mark 22nd anniversary of “Marxist Conspiracy”. TOC will carry a report of it soon. Breaking News:  Ministry of Education releases Information Sheet on Ministry...

The Marxist Conspiracy – Not forgetting the evil things that have already been done!

The Marxist Conspiracy – Not forgetting the evil things that have already been done!

May. 20 |   Ravi Philemon The arrests began in the early hours of the 21st of May 1987. Within a span of a few hours, 16 men and women, most of whom were social workers, dramatists, Roman Catholic Church welfare workers and lawyers, were arrested by the Internal...

Straits Times of May ’87 – Four days of government statements on “Marxist Conspiracy”

Straits Times of May ’87 – Four days of government statements on “Marxist Conspiracy”

May. 19 | Coming next on TOC: Ex-ISA detainee, Ms Teo Soh Lung, writes a personal piece for The Online Citizen. Stay tuned! Andrew Loh / With special thanks to Martyn See For four days, from 27 May to 30 May, 1987, the Straits Times carried the statements of the...

Remember May 21st

Remember May 21st

May. 18 | Message from a group of concerned Singaporeans: On May 21st 1987, 22 young social workers, lawyers, businessmen, theatre practitioners and other professionals were detained without trial under the internal security law and accused of “being members...

Operation Spectrum – 22 years later

Operation Spectrum – 22 years later

May. 17 | On 21 May 1987, Operation Spectrum swung into action. A total of 22 people were detained under the Internal Security Act in two different operations – one in May and another in June. Those arrested were subsequently accused of being involved in...

Total Defence – (Total Control)

Total Defence – (Total Control)

Feb. 12 | TOC introduces The Polemic, a new feature by our new columnist KJ. It will feature fortnightly on Thursdays. KJ Total Defence gets personal Morning assembly. You find yourself back in Primary school, sitting in the large quadrangle. All two thousand of...

Don’t govern the Internet with Old World methods

Don’t govern the Internet with Old World methods

Dec. 15 | By Arixion / Youth Writer For a report sub-titled “Challenging Old Assumptions”, it is remarkable that the most important assumption of all is left unchallenged: The idea that the Internet – or New Media – is nothing more than a way people communicate...