Singapore's democracy an endangered species

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean once had the Dodo bird, which the islanders hunted into extinction. Today that extinct bird is the island's national symbol.

Singapore's original inhabitants were the Malays, while the British colonists brought into the island huge numbers of Chinese and Indians workers. The Malays who should have protested this overrunning of their island instead did nothing to complain. Today the Malays are not quite the Dodo birds of Mauritius but they are almost extinct, marginalized, discriminated and neglected. Today, there are no more than 13% of them in the island who primarily work as office boys and coolies for the Chinese who have become their masters, a tragic irony in the island which had initially belonged to them. Not too distant in the future, the fate of the Dodo bird may well befall them too. And perhaps, after they are extinct, they too, like the Mauritian bird, can be made the symbol of Singapore.

And it is the same with democracy, the most important asset that Singaporeans should cherish and protect. But over the years with the Lee Kuan Yew regime, we see the gradual erosion of democracy in the island, which is the right of the people enshrined in the Constitution.

But today, as the government takes away the right to free speech, the right to free press, the right to assembly and the right to peaceful protest, no one complains, while the country slowly descends into an utter police state. The Singapore Democratic Party, the only organization with any credibility for standing up for freedom does nothing substantial, except to write never ending articles in their newspaper the Singapore Democrats which Lee Kuan Yew promptly ignores. They have a lot of valuable information in their website and periodically hold rallies and make speeches at Hong Lim Park, the one place which Lee Kuan Yew permits for public speaking, rallies which are invariably attended to by a handful of the usual suspects.

And this regular boring round of activities goes on ad nasuem. The website articles, the speeches and rallies at Hong Lim Park and nothing more. The government on their part, does whatever they want towards further tightening the laws against their people, and publish their actions in their state controlled press. The Singapore Democratic Party similarly regularly condemns these transgressions over their rights, which Lee Kuaan Ye promptly ignores.

And then we hear of a handful of young men and women from the Singapore Democratic Party sent overseas for democracy training exercises in collaboration from those of other countries. And then these young men, having been wiser by their experience, make even more speeches which the public promptly ignores.

And then we are back to square one again.

At least I have something to say about Dr. Chee's Singapore Democratic Party. As for the others, they are simply dead, who will come alive just before the elections and immediately thereafter become dead again.

I am sure the reader will see the frustration in my writing. I am sure you are aware of the following, which is, the SDP is also completely aware of the disadvantage of doing nothing to challenge the dictatorship; they are aware that merely making speeches and holding rallies at Hong Lim Park is not going to do it, and they are aware that some other drastic action has to be taken to make the change.

One thing I know is that there are a number of people in Singapore who want change. And change does not need millions of people to bring it about, all it takes is a handful to break these unjust laws and openly protest inviting arrest. The arrests will publicize the cause and the others who are equally yearning for change will follow. And when the few more join hands, then the multitude will also follow.

We have to provoke Lee Kuan Yew's government to retaliate and use violence on us, and when we are arrested, more will follow and then there will be the unstoppable flood. And then there has to be change. This has to be done from within Singapore not outside. And when the violence and repression becomes known to the world, others around the world can join in to eventually topple this regime.

At this moment all I can do is to write and keep this blog alive and a thorn on Lee Kuan Yew's side. I want to see change in the island and it pains me to see nothing happening. Speeches and more speeches is not going to do the trick. Provoking the Singapore government into violence will.

As for the elections, don't hold your breath. Lee Kuan Yew and friends will win again, by hook or by crook.

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.