Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Singapore. A people in denial

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Singaporeans it seems are either in complete denial or simply ignorant of their situation.

Singapore's state controlled newspaper the Straits Times of June 08, 2011 reports "Restless youth seek anchor in politics", in a discussion forum held at the Orchard Hotel recently organized by Singapore Lee Kuan Yew's Institute of Policy studies representatives from local political parties discussed the needs of Singapore youth before an audience of 250.

Leaders of these Singapore's minuscule castrated opposition parties felt that the youth needed to take part in politics as a means of rooting themselves in Singapore, as if that was a momentous earth shattering revelation!

Desmond Lee of Lee Kuan Yew's ruling party and the recent phenomenon Michelle Lee of Dr. Chee's SDP appears to have stated the obvious that the youth have grown up in a stable Singapore (so is Communist China) and they are deeply affected by world events (who would not be if they are literate and the Middle East is boiling).

Yaw of the WP on his part stated something which is of no use to anyone, that the youth were "restless" and that "they were searching for their place in Society where their aspirations can be fulfilled". Thanks for telling me that, as if I did not know and even if I did, does it really matter one way or another?

From what these so called Singapore's leaders have to say, it is simply a waste of time. Inconsequential nonsense. Singapore has much more urgent problems to be addressed and by leisurely saying that the youth are restless is not helping the situation at all.

Let me tell you what you already know.

Singapore today suffers from an abuse of the law by compliant judges who send innocent people to jail, bankrupt them and send authors like Alan Shadrake to prison, where he is now, just because he wrote a book critical of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew legal system.

This corrupt politicized judiciary is a curse on Singapore, almost a crippling malignant decease, which stifles it's development turns Singaporeans into slaves. Lee Kuan Yew can anytime send any critic of his to jail and misery, merely by deploying his judges who willingly bend the law for him.

Without the rule of law, there can be no development of the nation at all. This is the most serious problem facing Singapore and correcting it is something that the government must do, something which is not negotiable as far as Singaporeans are concerned. Yet these Singaporean opposition have nothing at all to say about it.

Singapore does not have a free press because it is all state controlled and censored. This is another debilitating problem facing the people of Singapore which has to be corrected before anything else. Yet these Singaporean so called opposition leaders have no comment at all.

The same with the serious fundamental issues of the lack of free speech, assembly and association; serious violations of human rights which are at the core of Singapore's problems, preventing it from aspiring to become a democracy. Yet Michelle Lee is content to say that Singapore youth is restless! We should ask her whether that is all she has to say!

These opposition politicians should have the courage at least to be honest, honest to themselves and to Singaporeans. There is no point for them to claim a leadership role, when it is quite obvious that they are afraid to confront the Lee Kuan Yew regime on these issues that are fundamental before anything else, as nothing else can advance if these crippling problems are not settled.

The sad situation in Singapore even after the recent elections is this. Singaporeans are either in denial or completely unaware of the serious problems under which they live, literally a dictatorship without any rights. And without rights, there is no point in talking about other issues such as immigration, flooding or anything else; because if you can be shut up anytime and sent to jail by Singapore's corrupt judiciary, like what British author Alan Shadrake is now undergoing in Singapore, Singaporeans are doomed to continue at the pleasure of the Lee Kuan Yew family.

These fundamental violations of the erosion of the rule of law and denial of fundamental human rights are not issues which Singaporeans can merely complain and sit patiently by, waiting for Lee Kuan Yew to correct them. These are issues which should be demanded and protested, and there should be no let up until the government finally concedes. These are issues which demand relentless sustained civil disobedience until your rights are fully restored. If you are not prepared to do that, then you will simply continue as you were the last 52 years; that is at the mercy of the Lee Kuan Yew family.

I suspect, from the actions of these recent additions to the opposition, Oxbridge and London educated people such as Michelle Lee of Dr. Chee's party, that they are the latest of Lee Kuan Yew's tricks to infiltrate the opposition ranks, which are already weak and ineffective.

Lee's cunning idea this time appears to be to give the impression that there are capable people speaking for the opposition now; except that these "capable" people who are PAP in disguise, are only going to skirt the issues by raising issues of inconsequence but who will not really confront the Lee Kuan Yew family where it really matters.

Chee Soon Juan whom I previously admired, and still do I must add, was the champion for democratic change in Singapore by his willingness to truly and fearlessly confront the Lee ruling party where it matters, on fundamental issues such as basic human rights, appears to have had a change of heart and now appears to go along with the flow, content to raise issues such as the economy, but unwilling to proclaim that the economy cannot go anywhere unless the people had the rule of law, a free press and the right to free expression.

If I am right in believing that Chee has now decided that the best thing to do is to get into Parliament by carefully making sure that Lee Kuan Yew or his Son are not offended, by raising only secondary issues but leaving alone fundamental human rights, he might as well go one step further and resign his position as Secretary General of his party entirely, since there may be a general perception among the Singapore populace that he is the main impediment, given his past of civil disobedience, to his party's advancement.

Of course I don't believe that he should step down or do any such thing.

But I am only saying, as the Devil's advocate, that if he is going to moderate his actions for the sake of expediency, which I believe is wrong in principle, he might as well go all the way and step down for the sake of his party and allow Tan Jee Say, his recent colleague who actually criticised him for his past in civil disobedience to step into his shoes.

Another possibility, Michelle Lee, the London graduate since she too does not believe in confronting Lee Kuan Yew with peaceful protests to demand fundamental human rights. She appears content to tell us that the youth are restless!

All round, a very sad time for the cause of freedom in Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore.

Gopalan Nair
Attorney at Law
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...

Brainwashed, the whole lot of them.

Anonymous said...

All these endless talking and talking and endless writings and writings about the situation in Singapore against the L.K.Y regime will come to nothing in the end.
We are all getting bored and sick of the whole damned thing.
Can someone suggest the ultimate solution to all these problems once and for all?

Politically interested young student said...

Singapore is already doomed in the first place. And can you give your insights to the Presidential Election.

Well Said too!!

Gopalan Nair said...

To the comment which said they are brainwashed, I don't believe that to be true. I think they, especially the opposition politicians know exactly what they are doing, but they are so overcomed with fear and the need not to anger the Lee Kuan Yew family that they effectively self sensor themselves so as to claim to be oppositon politicians when in actual fact they know they are not.

Chee Soon Juan, Low Thia Khiang and Kenneth Jeyaretnam know exactly what they deal is. But 50% is all they are preapred to go. They let down the people who rely on them, who themselves are terrified anyway.

This is Lee Kuan Yew's rule by fear.

Gopalan Nair said...

To the comment about the endless talking and talking which makes him bored, there are many out there, like him, who are totally ignorant of their rights and even if they did they don't care.

To him I would suggest not to waste time with this blog but use his time more valuably by going to the shopping malls, listening to the latest fads in music and dressing up to look well and party.

This blog deals with more serious stuff which he need not concern himself with.

I am suprised why he even visited it in the first place.

Anonymous said...

Politically interested young student said...
Singapore is already doomed in the first place. And can you give your insights to the Presidential Election.

Thu Jun 09, 07:44:00 AM PDT
---------

Typical S'porean. Always wanting to get opinions from others, but too lazy (scared?) (incapable?) of providing their own.

Here's your chance, Politically interested young student. Tell us what you think.

Gopalan Nair said...

I reckon "Politically interested young student" is not young nor a student. Probably a much older person employed by Lee's cyber brigade to discredit Lee's critics anonymously. They are probably very unhappy over my writing about Lee" dictatorail rule over Singapore and trying therefore to have me move to a different subject. Frankly I don't know what to think.

ANiceGuy said...

Singaporeans are in denial, they are contented with life within their comfort zones, even under such a government. They won't do anything on their own for change. The principles that you espouse here, human rights and freedom of expression, doesn't connect with the majority of them. Such people are only concerned with their shallow and materialistic way of life. They only complain and whine when their lifestyles and comfort zones are endangered.

There are only 2 options for Singaporeans:

1.) Change the government (virtually impossible)

2.) Leave SG for good, become a naturalised citizen elsewhere and renounce SG citizenship in 5 to 10 years time, and withdraw CPF in FULL.

Failure to accomplish either of these 2 options, means that they support the incumbent ruling government. I mean, citizens pay taxes and contribute to CPF, which feeds and nourishes the very ones in power that they dislike. How hypocritical and cowardly can they get?

Keep up with the good posts, Gopalan! I hope Singaporeans will wake up to reality through your blog!

Anonymous said...

Gopalan Nair, why is it that you feel you need to run down the people of Singapore and the opposition parties when you give your views? After all 40% did not vote for the PAP. You are doing this group of citizens a disservice by painting one and all with the same brush!

Gopalan Nair said...

To Anonymous June 10, 1031,
I am not sure why or how you come to the conclusion that I run down the people of Singapore. Yes it is true I am ashamed of the people of Singapore for their willingness to live under a dictatorship. So I say it and persude them to rise up in peaceful protest and peaceful demonstrations to kick out the Lee Kuan Yew family from power. That is not running them down.

Yes, I despice the cowardly oppostition parties in Singapore and their leaders for their inability to stand up for Singapore. They are cowards and should not consider themselves leaders at all. This is not "running" them down. It is stating a fact and what I think of them.

40% did vote for them. Frankly I am suprised even this number did. Had I been in Singapore knowing what I know of the oppposition being a bunch even more afraid than their constitutents, I would have voted for the PAP.

The quality of their candidates is pathetic.

It is the fault of the PAP for victimizing and intimidating the oppostition preventing capable candidates from entering politics; not just coming out every 5 years.

And it is the fault of the people of Singapore for being such cowards and refusing to challenge the PAP.

Merely voting does not remove Lee Kuan Yew and his PAP. You have to return the organs of state, such as the courts to the people. To do that you have to confront Lee Kuan Yew. Merely voting every 5 years will not achieve that.

I suggest you read my blog posts carefully. Try to understand the concepts. I cannot educate you.