Saturday, July 24, 2010

Singapore's fear factor

Ladies and Gentlemen,

With Singapore's recent arrest of British author, Alan Shadrake for criminal defamation and contempt of court, after he wrote a book critical of it's government, Singaporeans will only become even more afraid of Lee Kuan Yew. Such crippling all consuming fear can only hurt the island's progress in more ways than one.

Anyone whether a doctor, lawyer or department store clerk, has a life other than work. He has to go about living his life, going to the store, walking about and living. And this is where, regardless of who you are, life in Singapore becomes unpleasant.

For instance, if you walk along the street, any policeman for no reason whatsoever can accost you, demand to see your ID, and speak to you in any fashion he wants. There are no laws that require probable cause to stop and search, no Fourth Amendment rights, no requirement for any decency or human respect or nothing. If you are abused, there is nothing you can do. No one in Singapore's entire history has sued the Singapore government and won, let alone the police force. You are at their mercy, and you should understand that.

The same if you go into a government office. They can deny you service, discriminate against you, deny your lawful claim, throw you out of your government owned apartment, and there is nothing you can do. You can complain as much as you want, but it is entirely up to Lee Kuan Yew. They take advice from him whether you should helped or neglected.

Since suing them in their courts will not do anything for you, since the judges take orders from them and not the law, you may be naive to think of trying other means to solve your problem. There is simply no other way for you.

The courts are no help since the government controls them. The newspapers are no help either because they are all owned by the same people, the government.

If you thought you can mount a peaceful protest outside Lee Kuan Yew's palace, you are mistaken once again. In Singapore it is illegal to protest unless you have a permit from them and by the way don't bother applying. Since 1959, no one in Singapore has ever been given a permit to protest or do anything.

And if you are in Lee Kuan Yew's island and wrote a book criticizing Singapore like Alan Shadrake had done, he would arrest you and throw you in jail. And the same thing if you wrote a blog like myself in 2008, when he sent me to jail for 3 months.

And don't try to spread the word of dissatisfaction among your friends and family. Walls have ears. You will be found out and tailed. A dossier will be kept on you and you will be effectively marked for punishment. How and when you will be punished is entirely up to Lee Kuan Yew, but punished, you will.

It is not only I that knows this, every lawyer, every doctor, every scientist in that island knows this as well. And what do you think of these people, professional men and women, who willingly live in that island, effectively as slaves? Not much I guess.

And that is why the caliber of Singaporeans must continue to deteriorate. Singaporeans today, those still remaining there, are by an large a cowardly, unprincipled, unscrupulous, craven, boring lot. If among these, there was anyone with some gumption, they have either left or are on their way out. The ones that are coming into Singapore has to be by reason the same miserable sort that presently live there.

Today we read the island's legal profession has no more than 3,000 lawyers for a population of 5 million; Sydney Michael Hwang until recently the Singapore Law Society President had suddenly and mysteriously abdicated and claims to have gone to Dubai, my guess is in shame; the medical profession in Singapore has declined with their having to import huge numbers of foreign doctors; same with nurses and you name it every other profession.

And those that are coming to replace those who have left, presumably either in disgust or shame or both, are primarily from Communist China, totally without the English language. You can imagine what Singapore is turning into.

No, arresting Alan Shadrake was a very bad idea. But if only Lee Kuan Yew cared. And by the way, the only reason why I can write this blog is because I am in Fremont, California. Had I written this in Singapore, you can imagine what would have happened to me of course, which is why I will have to live forever in exile. Well not entirely forever; just as long the Big Boy Lee and his government are holding the reins. For now, the moment I set foot in Singapore, I would of course be arrested.

And by the way, you may have known that they are going to disbar me from practicing Singapore law in Singapore very soon, in my absence! By the way, despite my repeatedly asking them, they won't promise not to arrest me if I physically attended my trial there! So in effect, they are denying me the right to be present at my own trial! You can imagine a country like that. A banana republic.

Gopalan Nair
39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Suite A1
Fremont, CA 94538, USA
Tel: 510 657 6107
Fax: 510 657 6914
Email: nair.gopalan@yahoo.com
Blog: http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/

Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes a banana government.

Anonymous said...

The govt-controlled media kept saying Shadrake is to be charged with criminal defamation (of the judicial/criminal penal system) but Shadrake's summons so far only say contempt of court.
He's a foreigner - they'll most likely find him guilty of lesser charges, deport him back to UK and ban him from enter S'pore forever. Critics of SIN gov have little impact once they are kept out of the country (e.g. Framcis Seow, Tang Liang Hong, Lim Chin Siong, and Mr Nair).

Anonymous said...

That's the most objective assessment of Singapore ever.

Lee Kuan Yew & son the King Kong of South East Asia

Renaldi

Anonymous said...

It is one man affair the FEAR factor. This man a bastard is none other than LKY. He should die earlier.

Gopalan Nair said...

To Anonymous July 26, 0622,

I am not sure about the statement "critics have little impact once they are out of the country". The fact you are reading my blog and bothering to respond, already shows otherwise.

Critics inside face arrest and persecution. From outside you can do much more. If the point is imparting a message to you, as it is, the purpose is completely served.

sunny said...

harry the arrongant b*****d always proud that if not because of him singapore is not what it is today.

but when something bad happened quickly blame it was an act of god.

what a shame!!!

We only get to live once ... said...

For those who believe in evolution will know about natural selection and how this led to better genes and stronger animals.

But in Singapore, Lee is 'culling' the very people who are passionate about the country, leaving behind the YES men & those SIDELINED waiting for approvals to do things.

The YOG is a good example.

The signal has been given from the top to make this event passionate. So, time to obey and be passionate about YOG. Don't force the fake passion too much.

Also, "Dare to dream" is the theme song, something which is found naturally in the free world but still every much a dream to dare to dream in fearful Singaporeans. What dreams are approved by govt?

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1071625/1/.html

Anonymous said...

US ban on libel tourists, Singapore cited (21 July 2010)

Source: AFP

The US Senate has passed a bill to shield American journalists, authors, and publishers from "libel tourists" who file suit in countries -- including Australia -- where they expect to get the most favourable ruling.

The popular bill headed to the House of Representatives last night, which was expected to approve it and send the measure to President Barack Obama to sign into law, despite misgivings from key US allies.

Backers of the bill have cited England, Brazil, Australia, Indonesia and Singapore as places where weak libel safeguards attract lawsuits that unfairly harm US journalists, writers and publishers.

The Senate approved the measure in a "unanimous consent" voice vote.

The measure would prevent US federal courts from recognising a foreign judgment for defamation that is inconsistent with the first amendment of the US constitution.

Anonymous said...

LKY use some innocent victims like Vincent Cheng etc.... to frighten the rest of us ie you and me into non-action or flight out of the country....LKY is doing all these on innocent victims for all of us! And yet we dare not vote against them. What a joke?

Meijie Chen said...

Hi Gopalan,
Just wanted to tell you that I really enjoy your blog - please keep the posts coming! :)

I have recently immigrated to the USA myself, and frequently think how extremely lucky I am to be able to live my dream in this country that is not even my own! I never realized how suppressed I was in Singapore, until I came the USA and people asked for my opinion, and I realized I didn't have one.

I never dared to challenge the gahmen in any way when I was in Singapore. I greatly admire the brave martyrs of Singapore, but I am not willing to risk jail and jeopardy for myself or my family. And, sadly enough, this fear still remains even though I am here in the USA! The new fear is now I will be arrested when I go back to visit family and friends, re: Alan Shadrake.

You hit the nail on the head about the Fear Factor. I lived in Singapore for 23 years, but I think I am pretty much scarred for life!