Ladies and Gentlemen,
Merely 2 days after Singapore strongman Lee Kuan Yew's handpicked Law Minister had threatened a blogger with a defamation lawsuit for revealing his adulterous affairs, now his son, the Prime Minister has done the same, also over a blog.
Singapore state controlled newspaper the Straits Times of Feb 20, 2012 has the story "PM Lee sends lawyer's letter to editors of TR Emeritus (a blog)". This time it is over an article which pointed out that his father appointing him Prime Minister and he in turn appointing his wife chief of the nation's wealth fund Temasek is nothing short of "cronyism" and nepotism.
His lawyer, Davinder Singh who has never lost a case, because the judges there are nothing but Kangaroos, has demanded not only that the post be taken down, he has to also post an apology failing which, he has threatened to sue and we know what this means in the Singaporean sense.
He will win regardless of any law and the poor blogger will become Singapore's latest bankrupt.
Sometimes I wonder what goes on in the minds of this father and son Singapore leadership when they repeatedly resort to these defamation lawsuits for which they hold 2 world records, one for the largest number of them, and secondly for not having lost a single one. Why do they do it in this day and age?
Look at the facts. Lee Kuan Yew placed his son as the prime minister. His son then appoints his wife Ho Ching as the wealth fund chief which holds Singaporeans compulsory savings. If this is not nepotism, then what is it? Is Lee Kuan Yew trying to say that in the entire island, noone else has the qualities for a prime minister other than his son? And is the son trying to say that there was no other person qualified to run the wealth fund other than his wife?
Their defamation actions against their helpless citizens can be compared to this. It is like someone committing theft before your very eyes but prohibits you from saying it under pain of a lawsuit which they are guaranteed to win.
And the other thing these bullies should consider is this. This is the Internet Age. If they can sue helpless Singaporeans in their defamation regimen, will they sue someone like me writing from abroad? I guess not. But then if the purpose of these defamation actions are to stop writings critical of them being read in Singapore, is he not aware that this blog is also being read in Singapore which by the way happens to be far more critical than those timid souls who do it there with extreme caution?
By their refusal to sue me or others outside Singapore, they in fact confirm their weakness in any of these cases, which everyone can see with their open eyes.
Several organizations and observers of Singapore have repeatedly pointed out that this continued practice of suing anyone who criticised and impoverishing them through a compliant judiciary has extreme negative consequences. For one foreign governments and people would avoid having business dealings with the island because of the perception of a corrupt and unreliable judiciary which favors the ruling party.
Educated and capable people able to leave the country would do so, outraged at their blatant abuse of powers. And there would be many other far reaching consequences that would not be in Singapore's benefit.
And last but not least, you can destroy the thinker but can you destroy the thought. Just as Martin Luther King had said, you can destroy the dreamer but cannot destroy the dream. In fact it would have been far better if this man did nothing. By threatening to sue, we now know that cronyism and nepotism were the reasons for his appointment and that of his wife.
Gopalan Nair
Attorney at Law
Disbarred from practicing law in Lee's Singapore, imprisoned and refused entry to the island for criticizing Singapore's judiciary in this blog (see blogpost May 29, 2008 Singapore. Judge Belinda Ang's Kangaroo Court)
Actively practicing law in California and in good standing at the California Bar.
Member in good standing as a lawyer in England and Wales (Barrister).
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.
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9 comments:
Maybe this is a good time to strike back. Couldn't you or any other lawyer step and defend this blogger who also represents the thoughts of many others?
We could raise some funds and sponsor this defense and counter-sue.
Forutnately for Singapore, PM Lee's sons are not interested in politics.
To Anonymous Feb 2007,
I aggree but you are talking to the wrong person. Remember I was disbarred from practicing law in Singapore for calling Lee's judge Belinda Ang which she is. If Lee wants to sue in California, sure I will be very happy to do it.
To Anonymous of Feb 20, 0851,
I don't think it is because they don't want politics. More a case of Lee's prime minister son knowing it will be the end after his father.
Would you know of any lawyers in Singapore willing to take up this case against the kangaroo courts and the Lee family?
I'm just trying to think of ways we can take up their fight this time with a strong push-back.
To Anonymous Feb 20, 1159,
Just like you every Singapore lawyer has read this news. None has every come forward and none will. We already know the answer. They are afraid, simple as that. An entire legal profession.
The nation NS regime n its 40% is preparing to take over from the regular general.They know that is been long since old NS and retierd men in uniform are been screw of their pay and neglect their off spring from enjoying the benefit like Uni and other facilities compare to the foreign who has been given funding as scholars and living expense which amount to an average of $174,000 per course per person over three years.
They will recapture n save the nation from been invaded by the invitation of this government who had subpress and instill fear to their true blue.D day minus H Hour,clicking from now.
So Singapore's Princling LOOnG is trying to qualify himself as the new Strongman of Singapore by copying his daddy LEE KUaN YeW.
Unfortunately, the PAP will succeed because we are talking about leeches who elevate to "BeYOND LAW" status because of powerful backers.
Poor Singaporeans. Have to suffer in silence again after TRE published an APOLOGY.
Lawsuits are PAP way to silencing truth, because they are true.
What is Ho ching's resume? I think she studied engineering.
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