Monday, February 26, 2007

Singapore's dilemna. What to do with Dr. Chee's appeal against conviction and sentence?

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Yesterday in Singapore, Dr. Chee was convicted and sentenced to $4,000.00 fine or 3 weeks jail in default of payment, for trying to leave Singapore without permission since he is a bankrupt, and in Singapore bankrupts need government permission to travel. Needless to say, a very unjust politically motivated law to punish Lee's opponents and a very unjust verdict as well.

We all know and Dr. Chee has stated he will not pay the fine. He is now appealing the conviction and sentence. Since he will not pay the fine, if he loses the appeal, he will have to go to jail.

The question is whether Lee's corrupt courts which he uses to silence dissent against him is going to allow the appeal. This is the quandary that Lee now faces. On the one hand, if he denies the appeal, Dr. Chee, by going to jail, once again becomes a martyr, standing up alone against these unjust laws. The cause of freedom and democracy is furthered by his going to jail. People the world over who are watching Singapore, will say, once again, that Singapore is denying the basic human rights of it's citizens and it's reputation, which has steadily been tarnished through Lee's systematic use of the courts to punish opponents, would be tarnished even more. If he denies Dr. Chee's appeal, Dr. Chee wins in every way, in reputation and stature as a true fighter for freedom. Lee loses in every way. He is seen even more as a ruthless tyrant who denies his people their fundamental human rights. On the scoreboard, Dr. Chee 10, Lee Kuan Yew 0.

On the other hand, Lee cannot allow Dr. Chee's appeal to succeed either. After all he is a Machiavellian. According to Lee's understanding of politics, one cannot been seen to be weak. If he seen to be weak by giving in to Dr. Chee, then he reckons, others would be emboldened, seeing his granting the appeal as weakness on his part. Lee would therefore not want to be seen to be weak by giving in. He has to continue with his iron grip on power. He must always be seen to be right. This is the way, Lee's warped mindset thinks without exception. Although the people world over will appreciate his gesture if he allows the appeal, Lee is not so much afraid of what the world community will or will not think of him. He is more afraid of his own people. That is why he has the Gurkha police contingent at hand, to quell any rebellion within Singapore.

So on balance, I think the odds are against Dr. Chee winning the appeal. He will lose it and go to jail yet again. And in that process, the international opinion of Singapore will plunge a few more rungs on the way down to hitting rock bottom, next to Liberia and Senegal.

Gopalan Nair
39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Suite A1
Fremont, CA 94538, USA
Tel: 510 657 6107
Fax: 510 657 6914
EMail: gopalnair@us-immigrationlaw.com

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Serve him right.
All bankrupts are treated the same. Whether or not he is Chee Soon Juan.

I have no pity for him.

Anonymous said...

Is that so? According to the other side, lots of bankrupts have left the country without permits - and they have not been punished in the same manner.

Now if that is true, why is CSJ being singled out?

It would seem that all bankrupts *other than CSJ* are treated the same.

And unless you can dispute that observation, your argument is patently wrong and unoriginal - parroting exactly what the govt and mainstream media says.

Gopalan Nair said...

To anonymous,

I do not know what you mean but I will post it anyway. You might as well remain anonymous, with the type of writing that you have.

Gopalan Nair