The Singapore government's ban against Workers Party Cyclists.

Straits Times
Aug 28, 2007

Outdoor events by political parties banned

A PERMIT application by the Workers' arty (WP) to hold a cycling event for its 50th anniversary was rejected because political parties are banned from organising outdoor activities.

This is a longstanding position, as outdoor gatherings by parties have the potential to cause a public disturbance, said Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Ho Peng Kee yesterday.

He was responding to Non-Constituency MP Sylvia Lim, who wanted to know why the WP could not get a police permit for a mass cycling event at East Coast Park.

Said Associate Professor Ho: 'The East Coast Park is a recreational park for Singaporeans and their families. It is not meant to be used by a political party to promote its cause. 'Apart from displacing the usual recreational users...it is an open area where there is greater potential for breach of the peace, public disorder and unruly behaviour.'

He said that police required political events to be held indoors or in stadiums where problems could be contained, adding that the WP could consider these venues. The policy applied to all political parties, he said.

To another question from Ms Lim, he said that even if the organisers were well behaved, others there might still cause problems. To laughter, he added: 'Maybe cycle around the stadium.'

Then, WP MP Low Thia Khiang (Hougang) rose to ask why political events in public places were deemed to cause disturbances. He also asked if Prof Ho considered cycling in a stadium a reasonable suggestion, and if the minister could designate a part of East Coast Park for sports by parties, just as Hong Lim Park became designated Speakers' Corner. Just before he sat down, Mr Low remarked: 'Cycling at Hong Lim Park? Don't tell me that, ah.'

To the first question, Prof Ho retorted: 'If you listened very carefully Mr Low, I don't know whether his hearing aid is with him because he wears one, I said there is a greater potential for law and order (problems).

'You may be well-behaving, but there may be other people whom you come across when you cycle who may stop you, may want to debate with you and that may attract a crowd, and therefore will result in problems the police want to avoid.'

JEREMY AU YONG

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Please refer to the above Straits Times Report of Aug 28, 2007. The Workers Party of Singapore for it's 50th Anniversary requested the Singapore government for a permit to hold a cycling event around East Coast Park, a public park in Singapore.

For those who may be wondering why in Heavens, is a permit required to engage in cycling, a very normal activity; let me remind you again that it is Singapore that we are talking about! That by itself may explain these very strange laws. The laws in Singapore, as you may know by now, may appear very puzzling!

In Singapore, although the Constitution guarantees freedom of assembly, in reality it does not exist. And neither does any other freedoms such as free speech or a free press. You may be surprised by my rather peremptory and abrupt statement which may seem shocking to people from other normal democratic countries; but Singapore is neither a normal country nor is it a democracy!

Listen to this. For any outdoor activity of more than 5 people, a permit from the police is required; otherwise it becomes illegal rendering the persons to arrest and imprisonment just as in North Korea and the military junta of Burma.

The following is my observation of the totally unacceptable denial of the people's fundamental right to assembly in Singapore in this case; the case of the aspiring Workers Party cyclists. The Workers' Party's totally legitimate request for a totally harmless activity of merely riding bicycles in a public park, where they should be entitled as of right has been denied. It is quite obvious; the denial was because it is organized by the opposition political party.

The refusal by the government is seen to be for totally improbable ridiculous reasons showing very clearly that this government feels seriously threatened by even the slightest show of opposition to its rule.

In the authoritarian state of Singapore, the law requires a permit for anyone to engage in any public activity such as a peaceful assembly so long as the number in the assembly exceeds five. The reason behind this rule is to prevent the people from taking to the streets in protest against government policies, which the people do regularly in other democratic countries. In Singapore, this government which has ruled Singapore for the last 40 years is perpetually fearful of it's people threatening their rule, and therefore even the slightest attempt by the people to show dissatisfaction results in the government doing everything possible to stop them. As was the case above when the requested permit to hold the cycling event was denied.

What causes ire and indignation is the outrageous nonsensical reasons which Professor Ho gives for the denial of the permits. In making these excuses, he does not appear to care that he not only insults his own intelligence but also that of every Singaporean.

In a democracy, the government has no right, as he very well knows, in stymieing legitimate political activities; they can only do so only if there is in fact an arguable or colorable imminent danger to the public, which by the way has to be based on some reasonable set of facts, before such fundamental democratic rights, such as free speech and assembly are curtailed.

Professor Ho makes the preposterous remark that political parties are banned from conducting outdoor activities, without more, even though the Constitution; as he very well knows, specifically guarantees it. There is no limitation in the constitution restricting political activity indoors. It is not enough for Professor Ho to merely say so. There is absolutely no legal basis for his assertion.

And by the way, just because laws are passed does not mean they all have to be obeyed. A law to be legal and therefore requiring obedience and respect must have some legitimate national interest which one should be able to articulate rationally. There is no rational basis whatsoever for this blanket rule that all political activities should be conducted indoors. Therefore the rule cannot stand and the law is illegal and therefore the rule requiring parties of five or more outdoors should be disobeyed. They deserve no respect whatsoever.

Professor Ho then goes on to say, outdoor political activities have the potential to cause disturbance, a completely hypothetical and imaginary proposition not based on reality at all. There is no evidence here that a few cyclists cycling in the park will invariably or even remotely result in violent unrest.

If this is all Professor Ho can say, then perhaps he should disallow people even talking to each other in public, requiring them all to go out and get permits first! Using Professor Ho’s vivid imagination, which appears to have run riot; is there not a possibility that 2 people talking might be overheard by a passer by, who took offense, retaliated violently, causing a bloody riot to ensue! Using Professor Ho’s reasons, is not talking in public an incendiary activity, which should only be allowed by permit holders. Should it not be banned as well?

For Professor Ho to really ensure that Singapore is at all times safe, and using his vivid imagination, should not haggling in the fish market in Chinatown be allowed only by permit holders? Sometimes the haggling may become heated, tempers may be raised, insults may be hurled, passers by may take offense, and the entire Chinatown may see violent riots as was the case in the French Revolution, and set ablaze! For the real safety of the Professor and his people, should not be haggling in markets therefore be also banned unless the hagglers are successful permit holders?

The Professor says the park is meant to be used only for recreation and not for political parties. Well, we should ask him why that is so or who said so? We always thought that the park is meant for the use of all the people of Singapore including visitors, tourists and political parties alike. And being a public place, it is the preferred location for political activity; since the purpose of political activity is to publicize their message to as wide an audience as possible; therefore what better location can there be other than a public park.

Parks all over the world, such as Hyde Park, London, and every other park in every country in the world is the preferred place for political activity; parks in democratic countries that is. I concede that one cannot hold anti government activity in a park in North Korea or it appears in Singapore as well. And then he says it will displace recreational users of the park as if the park is reserved for recreational use only. The park is there for all, not just for recreation.

And then he says, because there are more people in the park, there is greater danger of a riot if the WP cycled there; but he does not explain why cycling, of all activity, should cause rioting! Simply saying it is not enough. There has to be hard facts. And if there are none, the permit should be granted. And then he said the activity should be held indoors where the problem could be contained. But what problem? Why does he think there is a problem or if there any evidence of it, this Professor of law does not say?

It should be quite clear to anyone why he prefers opposition political activity to be held indoors, since if it is indoors, only a small handful of people will hear the anti PAP message, since the PAP will not allow any public criticism of their unacceptable policies.

As he knows, if it is held outside, the message may spread across the island and the already bad image of the PAP that people presently have will plummet even further.

Among his other intolerable silly excuses is that even if the organizers of the event are peaceful, others may not, and it will, in his opinion invariably lead to civil unrest! He has gone even further and suggested that the WP cycle around the stadium, far away from the Singapore public; in which case none else will hear the message the WP wanted to put out. Very convenient for him and his PAP, but not very convenient for the opposition!

I would simply say this to the WP and every Singaporean. The very rule limiting the numbers in a protest to four or requiring a permit is itself nonsensical and without legal basis. Such a law is plain and simply illegal. The WP should just break it.

Second, as can be seen, the Professor is just wasting everyone's time with this nonsense; based entirely on his imagination alone, to deny permits for legitimate political activity; which by the way, the constitution guarantees.

Like me, if you are outraged with anger and indignation at the temerity of this man, who calls himself a Professor in law to even suggest such nonsense as excuses to refuse a clearly legitimate permit request; then you are entitled to just disregard and break such a law and do what you know to be plainly right.

Again, just because this government which is so fearful of it's people comes up with such downright illegality, which it calls laws, does not make them lawful and should be broken at every opportunity.

Keep in mind that neither Professor Ho nor his police can jail everyone in Singapore. The jails will be full in no time.

We should tell professor Ho that if he wants to be clown, it is up to him. Please do not expect the participation of Singaporeans in the clown show.

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

Apartheid in Singapore!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

South Africa, until recently; when the black majority formed the government; had the internationally condemned practice of apartheid, where blacks, among other forms of racial discrimination suffered by them; were prevented from living in places of their choice anywhere in South Africa; but in places and townships specifically reserved for them, such as Soweto and Sharpsville. This prohibition against their freedom of movement in their choice of residence location within their country was internationally condemned as an egregious form of racial discrimination; totally condemned by all democratic countries in the world.

Will you be surprised to know the government of Singapore, even today continues to practice this discrimination against the minorities citizens of Singapore, the Malays and the Indians. Again, as in almost all other cases of high handedness by this government; acting without any lawful authority; it is openly carrying out this illegal practice in it's housing policies.

Almost 90% of Singaporeans live in government built housing, the Housing and Development Board flats, because they are too poor to afford private housing. Therefore one could reasonably say that almost the entire population of Singapore live in government built housing under long leases of 100 years.

One of the policies of the HDB is not to permit Malays and Indians to lease a flat in the location of their choice even though there is a seller of that flat ready and willing to transfer it to him. This is because the HDB or government policy is to prevent too many Malays or Indians living in close proximity to each other, because they believe; although the government will not say so; that the Indians and Malays tend more to support the opposition during national elections, unlike the majority Chinese, whom they believe are more supportive of the PAP. Therefore this is another way to prevent; as this government has said in the past, a "freak" election, by which they mean the opposition winning and forming the government!

As I understand it, the rule now is that each housing estate requires a makeup of 75% Chinese, 15% Malay and 10% Indian. This means that Chinese will always form the majority in each housing estate since every housing estate must have 75% Chinese. The Indians and Malays on the other hand; although they already form only a small minority; are forced to be dispersed even further, throughout the island of Singapore, and therefore end up with a handful of Indian families or Malays families in an overwhelmingly Chinese neighbourhood. This breaks up even further the already fragmented Indian and Malay community by destroying even further what little familial and social cohesion there was in their community; by forcing a brother to live in Tampines, an uncle to live in Jalan Kayu and a sister to live in Jurong. They would have preferred to live in the same neighbourhood, by being of help and assistance to each other, but Lee Kuan Yew will not permit it. Their being together raises a threat to his continuing as the Singaporean despot and therefore Malays and Indians, despite their numbers in Singapore already being small, have to be spread out even further.

All international and United Nations conventions and laws clearly make one thing very clear. It is the right of every citizen to live anywhere within his country and the forcible removal and deportation of persons from one location to another, and preventing people to live anywhere of their choice is clearly a violation of international law and it is no better than apartheid; such as the South Africans faced under the government of Van Smuts or Pik Botha.

It is about time my Malay and Indian friends inform Mr. Lee Kuan Yew that this racial discrimination is not acceptable and they should be able to live anywhere in Singapore in their HDB flats. I am sure I have the support of my Chinese friends who I am sure are equally supportive of the Malays and Indians of this, their very fair and just demand.

Lastly and needless to say, such actions of preventing the free choice of Singaporeans in their right to choose their residence locations is a clear and direct violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution prohibiting racial discrimination. But then, when did Lee Kuan Yew ever respect the Constitution anyway!

Thank you sirs.

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

Protest against annuities. Sept 8th, 2007 at 4.00 pm at Centerpoint.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Various blogs, Internet forums are reporting that a peaceful protest will be held on Sept 8th, 2007 at 4.00 pm. Protesters will be wearing black.

As I had expected Singaporeans have finally said, enough is enough. They have finally realized that merely accepting anything and everything thrown at them by the Lee Kuan Yew Administration is actually working to their detriment. They should have realized this as far back as 1965! But still it is never too late.

The protesters should keep in mind that this time, they are in control. Not the PAP or the police. There have been far too many instances of repression; too many times have their rights been trodden over; their fundamental liberties diluted and in fact entirely denied and all this time they have remained silent. They have, in their Asian tradition of tolerance and respect taken the beating this far quietly.

But even Asians steeped in the culture of respect and authority have a limit beyond which they will no longer endure. And I think, this time, that limit has come.

It has come because in recent times, other than fundamental rights such as freedom of speech and liberty which have been taken away from the people, Lee Kuan Yew has begun to hit at their very means of survival, their livelihood, their means of earning a living. Although people, usually Asians, may sometimes tolerate the dilution of democratic ideals such as freedom of speech, which may not affect their very livelihood; they would find it intolerable if the government denies their very survival, their ability to feed themselves and their children. And this is what the PAP administration is now finally doing. And this is where Lee Kuan Yew has finally crossed the line.

There is presently an nationwide opposition of the Lee Administration especially because of the recent economic policies which have seriously affected the very existence of the majority of Singaporeans. The very high prices charged for HDB leases have meant that most Singaporeans have no choice but to use their CPF earnings to pay for the leases, which by the way was meant for their retirement; which they now use to pay for their monthly leases. This means that they have very little left in their CPF for their retirement.

To to rub salt into the wounds; the government has stated that the original retirement date of 55 years is too early. Therefore the date is extended now to 65 years before they can see any money. And if that was not bad enough, to make matters even worse, the government came up with a rule that they must now leave in the CPF (meaning they cannot withdraw) several thousand dollars as security for their old age and only paltry sums each month will be released to them for their daily survival. In actual fact, having paid astronomical sums for the HDB leases, in effect means, most people have nothing left in retirement anyway! As a result now, they and their children are suffering severe financial hardship. And it makes it even worse when the suffering they endure is when they are old and infirm!

As proof thereof, the mounting number of suicides with people throwing themselves out of their high rise apartments and jumping onto oncoming trains on an average rate of one suicide a day or more! And while all this goes on, they are aware that Lee Kuan Yew and his friends are earning $3 million a year! And that is what makes it intolerable.

And if all this was not enough, the government has now come up with annuities requiring Singaporeans to continue paying until they are 85 years old. The sum result of all this is that the government is determined to deny the average Singaporean any meaningful retirement. The original promise that CPF was to be a retirement fund is now completely and effectively reneged. Now one can safely say there is no retirement scheme in Singapore at all. Workers are required under penalty of law to pay each month, into the CPF funds, for which they will not see any benefit in the end at all. The only ones benefiting are Lee Kuan Yew his family and the PAP cronies. And all this wealth that Lee and his family are enjoying are the peoples' money from the CPF ; paid by the very ones who are killing themselves by jumping in front of oncoming trains!

As a result of this painful economic body blow that the people suffering due to these inhuman economic policies of the Lee Administration; almost to every man, there is a nationwide dislike and opposition towards this Administration. The people are now strong in numbers, since after all, the government cannot jail everyone, bankrupt everyone or dismiss everyone from their jobs. The government will not be able to function even for a day if they did that.

The government of Singapore is now more afraid of you than you think.

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

Has Harry finally gone too far this time? Annuities.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

For more than 40 years, Lee Kuan Yew and his PAP have managed to get away with murder. Before he decides to sue me for defamation of character, about which he is more than familiar; let me say that "murder" was only said figuratively; not literally! Thank God, I have clarified it; not for which the Sikh turbaned lawyer of his would have be let loose and I would have been the next hapless victim, sued bankrupted impoverished and abused, in that order, by the Supremo Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.

As I said, Lee has got away with murder, during these last 40 years of his despotic authoritarian rule. Every organ of civil society has been humbled under his heel. The lawyers have been silenced, the Law Society, despite it's title, are no longer permitted to comment on his laws! The trade unions, the professional bodies, the societies, the civil service, the judiciary, everything has been politicised. That is politicised into being Lee Kuan Yew PAP sympathisers. A series of laws designed to suppress and silence his opponents have been enacted over the years. The law makes protest illegal, public speaking is illegal, printing political literature is illegal, printing presses have to be licenced, paid government spies and informers are all over the island informing and reporting on anti government sentiments and their makers punished. The litany of suppression goes on unabated. Each day the people see more and more of their liberties and freedoms taken away.

Till today, the people have suffered all this quietly. They have not really reacted in any substantial way.

But now, I begin to wonder weather this time, Mr. Harry Lee Kuan Yew has gone too far? Has the point been reached; since for people all over the world no matter how tolerant and subservient, must have a certain point at which they will say "I will not take this anymore". Question is, has that point finally arrived for Singapore?

You know that in the last 2 years there have been even more painful measures enacted against the people of Singapore. And these measures are serious, hurting the very livelihood, the rice bowls of everyone in Singapore. First, Lee Kuan Yew says that you cannot withdraw your savings in the CPF as was first promised when you reach 55. He has extended the date to 60. Next he says even if you reach 60, there has to be a minimum sum retained by the government amounting to several thousand dollars. In other words, the government intends to continue to retain your money; refusing to give to you as promised. I call this theft. And while the theft is perpetrated, you will have to work to continue to survive past the age of 60. And while you work, you will continue to pay CPF, which money goes to Lee and his government.

The second, completely unacceptable decision; Lee Kuan Yew government has stated that they had decided to pay themselves in what they call salaries, $3 million a year, which shall be paid to Lee Kuan Yew his son and all his ministers. This is despite the fact that 50% of Singaporeans do not have to pay tax, because their earnings are too small!

Now, Lee Kuan Yew's new rule, which I believe has finally broke the camel's back. Annuities. He has decided, regardless of whether you agree or not, about which he could care less; that from now on, there will be such a thing as annuities. This means that you will not get your CPF money until you reach the age of 85, an age very likely that you will not reach, because you will be dead! And in this case, being dead, you will not get your CPF money!

Even the humble poodle can turn into a lion if pushed to the corner; when it has no choice but to fight back. No one, not even Singaporeans will tolerate repression beyond a point. This is what I call the threshold of tolerance. Almost a physical science. The Russians reached their threshold in 1917, the Chinese in 1949 with Mao and the Filipinos finally said no more to Marcos and sent him packing.

I think, for Singapore, this moment of truth has finally come. I expect Singaporeans to protest and protest en mass. I expect change for the better.

Mahatma Gandhi, not to be confused with Mr. Gandhi Ambalam of the SDP, had said history has seen tyrants seize power. But always their rule has been ephemeral. Eventually they all fall. And Gandhi is right.

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

Singaporeans. Please open your eyes. You are being taken for a ride.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me come to the point. Singaporeans, please open your eyes. You are being cheated. Cheated by Lee Kuan Yew and his Ministers.

First, let us stop this lie once and for all. You are not, I repeat, you are not home owners. The HDB flat which you thought you purchased is not yours. Get it into your head. It belongs to the HDB/Singapore Government/Lee Kuan Yew and his family. The flat is not yours, the land is not yours, nothing is yours. You have a right to sleep and live in that small space, which is the HDB flat; but it is not yours. Get this into your head; you live there as long as the HDB/Lee Kuan Yew permits you to live there. Read the small print in the lease agreement that you signed. It gives the right to the PAP to throw you out anytime, repeat anytime, and what is worse, with or without cause. So wake up. You have not purchased anything!

Then what is it? It is nothing more than a rental agreement for 100 years. It is a lease/ rental agreement for 100 years. You are a mere renter, for 100 years. The HDB is your landlord. You are their tenant. After 100 years, it reverts to your landlord, the HDB. This, right to rent, too is not your right unconditionally. Read the fine print in the lease. The government/ Lee Kuan Yew can shorten the lease anytime and bodily throw you out.

In fact that is what always happens. After 10 years or so, the HDB will tell you that your flat requires renovation. At that time, you are forced to enter into a new lease; another 100 year lease all over again; another payment cycle of 100 years all over again. Payment to the HDB that is, and into the coffers of Lee Kuan Yew and company for them to continue trading throughout the world. And making a profit at your exopense.

In other words, you live in that flat, which I call a box, at Lee Kuan Yew's pleasure.

Get this into your heads. You can live in that cubicle/ box/small space as long as the PAP/HDB/Lee Kuan Yew will let you. But if he is so minded, you will be out on the street tomorrow; you, your family, and your barang barang. Please, once again, read the fine print in the document that you signed which is called the lease.

This is the sad fact. So next time you hear the government saying that 99% of Singaporeans own their homes, meaning HDB flats, ask them to stop lying. Tell them it is a lease. A lease is not a purchase. Tell them that in simple English. Tell them there is a difference between freehold and leases. Yours is a lease.

Another thing you have to know. As you continue living in your box, as time passes, it's value decreases, not increases. In the case of freehold property, it's property appreciates. Your lease depreciates. It does not enrich your assets, it depreciates it. In the end you have nothing. Lee Kuan Yew has taken everything from you. And by the way, Lee Kuan Yew's house, unlike yours, is freehold property, and which unlike yours, appreciates over time.

Second, Lee routinely and without fail increases HDB prices, but doesn't tell you the costs of building. In effect, his building costs are minimal. He hides the true costs. But at the same time he charges astronomical prices. Since you don't have the money, he allows you to pay the lease payments through your CPF. Mind you the CPF was designed as your retirement savings. But since you don't have any money left, the government permits you to pay your lease payments from your retirement savings. What is that? That is your CPF. And what does that mean? It means, you have no savings for retirement. You have used it all up for paying for that expensive box, that is you HDB flat. And what does that mean? You have nothing left for retirement.

First, Lee Kuan Yew told you that you can withdraw your CPF at 55. Then he increased the age to 60. Now he is threatening to increase it even further to 65. And now, he has said you have to continue paying to 85, on the lame excuse that you may live too long and therefore you have to have sufficient reserves.

But what is the reality is that he wants you to work until you, literally drop dead; because he has to keep your CPF money flowing to him. In the end you may have just enough for basic sustenance in your old age if you are lucky; but nothing more than that. He does not envisage your retiring on your luxury yacht in the Caribbean. That much is certain.

And why does he want your money so much. Sadly for him now, the books are not balancing. He needs money. First, the Ministers and himself have to be paid $3 million a year a piece. The money has to come from somewhere. Therefore you have to pay it. Second, the population is aging. This means less people are working. And this means less CPF money flowing to the government.

And what do they do with all that money that flows to them? They trade in your name throughout the word. But actually they are the traders, Lee Kuan Yew and his selected cronies and ministers. They set up all sorts of companies, sub companies and subsidiaries. And they appoint themselves directors and officers of this large web of companies and subsidiaries, all set up and funded by you, the Singaporean tax payer/ CPF contributor. To say it simply, they take your money and do business with it. And you are not told anything about their international business; let alone giving you any of those profits.

And what kind of business do they do? All sorts. They buy a mall in Bombay. They buy a supermarket in Harbin. They buy a string of properties in Paris and London. In other words their business interests stretch throughout the world. All financed by your CPF contributions. If they wish to continue with their international trading with your money, you have to continue contributing CPF. If you stop working, they will not have the money; and not having the money, they will be unable to steal the $3 million each year from you, in what they call salaries.

And all the slush of money that flows to them is kept secret. They refuse to tell you the extent of the profits or losses and if you had the audacity and temerity to even ask; you will be sued in his courts and promptly bankrupted. Like what happened to Dr. Chee when he uttered his famous words to Goh Chock Tong " Where is my money".

My dear friends, open your eyes. You are being taken for a ride. Cheated. Conned. By none other than Lee Kuan Yew and company.

But the news is not all that bad. The industrialized world is now finally become aware of the dirty tricks of Lee and his company. They are placing more and more obstacles to his acquiring assets in the industrialized West because they now realize what he is doing; using his people's money to trade to enrich themselves; not the people who should rightfully enjoy the proceeds.

Lee Kuan Yew is feeling the crunch from all directions. In addition to the lack of investment opportunities in the West which he previously enjoyed, Singaporeans are aging and therefore the workforce is shrinking and therefore less of your CPF monies is going to him.

In desperation, he has tried to bring in foreigners to join the work force. He is failing in this too. The best foreigners avoid Singapore knowing it is a dictatorship intolerant of dissent. Only the coolies from India and China end up there. Second, as we speak, the brain drain continues to mount. The educated are leaving. Singaporeans are refusing to have children; the population is therefore shrinking. In final desperation, to retain your money somehow, he forces you to pay for annuities so you will have to wait until 85 to get your CPF funds, provided you do not die before then? You can say this is his final act of desperation.

And some good news too. The people are finally refusing to be pushed around any more. To be cheated anymore. There is clear evidence that public protests are in the offing. And even if I had any small part in bringing about change for the better in Singapore, through this blog, I am gratified.

So please do your part if you seek a better future. Distribute widely among your friends family and collegues, the contents of this blog, Dr. Chee's blog and the multitude of blogs out there crying out for a free Singapore. Free from Lee's shackles. The efforts of everyone counts, however small that contribution is.

You actually have more power than what you think. Use it.

It would give me great pleasure to see the fall of this depsot. I am sure it is yours too.
Good luck.

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

Singapore in essence, does not have a Constitution.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Singapore Government officially claims that it is a country based on the constitutional system. In fact, the Constitution of Singapore is not worth the paper it is written on. It is not, and never has been the supreme law of the law. In fact, it is no different than any other piece of legislation that can be rescinded, abrogated or amended at will. At the will of Lee Kuan Yew.

In Singapore, the supreme authority is not the Constitution. It is Lee Kuan Yew himself.

The Constitution of a country is supposed to be the supreme law of the land. It is the foundation of the country itself; it supposed to enshrine the character of the country and what it believes. The Constitution is supposed to be the guarantor of the people's rights and in a democracy, it will include the fundamental rights of citizens such as freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of the press and so on. And these rights, being the reserved rights of it's citizens, the government is prevented from denying or diluting these fundamental rights; therefore the Constitution should provide various safeguards against denial of these rights by ensuring, for instance, that the government needs a 90% majority in Parliament to successfully revoke or amend these rights.

And in all true democracies it is in effect impossible to change constitutional provisions, especially the basic fundamental rights of citizens such as free speech. And even if they can, governments in deference to these universally accepted inalienable fundamental rights of citizens, always respect them, leaving them unchanged and in full force and effect.

In all true democracies, freedom of speech means what is states. Therefore the police cannot go around arresting people when they are engaged in free speech activity. Freedom of assembly means exactly what it states. The government cannot deny it's people the right of peaceful assembly. Freedom of the press means exactly what it states. People are free to express and read what they want.

But in Singapore none of these rights exist, although the Constitution refers to them. Despite the freedom of speech clause, in Singapore, in direct violation , the Public Entertainment Act requires you to apply for a permit to speak in public which, even if you applied, will invariably be denied. Reference to Dr. Chee's recent convictions for public speaking. Therefore the clear and specific constitutional provision of freedom of speech is denied in it's entirety by the Public Entertainment Act. What is the point then, of the free speech clause in the Constitution?

The right of assembly does not exist, in direct violation of the Constitution. An assembly of more than five people requires a permit, but just in case you are minded to apply for one, please don't bother. It will not be granted.

But what is even more ridiculous in Singapore is the fact that even if you complied with the law, in the case of the right of assembly, you are still guilty! Remember the recent case of Chee Siok Chin, Yap Keng Ho and Monica Kumar being bankrupted by the Attorney General? It arose out of a peaceful assembly by the above three and another Mr. Charles Tan in front of CPF Building in Robinson Road some months ago protesting the NKF corruption. The police forcibly dispersed them even though they were only four persons; below the threshold of five which would have attracted the sanction of the law. When the four pointed this out to the Singapore judge; that they were not in violation of the law, the judge told them, believe it or not, that it is unlawful in Singapore to criticize the government! I am sure at that moment the four were wondering where on earth they were? North Korea?

Lee Kuan Yew can change any provision of the Constitution he wants anytime, as he continues to do. He has more than 2/3 majority in Parliament and all his PAP MPs being mere rubber stamps, prepared to agree with any proposal of Lee, however repressive.

So despite clear constitutional provision, he denies free speech, denies freedom of assembly, he denies freedom of the press and he denies the rule of law by using the courts to suppress dissent.

Let us be clear. In Singapore the Constitution is treated just like any other ordinary legislation. It has never been the Supreme law of the land. All laws including the Constitution is what Lee Kuan Yew will allow, passed through the rubber stamp, Parliament of his with the 80 PAP yes men and women. The remaining two miserable MPs who are opposition, have no power to protest to anything.

In effect, the dictator Lee Kuan Yew rules in his island.

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

Singapore. The position of Minister Mentor is illegal.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Lee Kuan Yew has once called the citizens of Singapore, "digits", meaning that they can be pushed around at will. He said it in one of his Parliamentary speeches about two decades ago which insult has now become famous. It is quite clear that he still feels that way by his actions. One of which is to give himself the position of "Minister Mentor".

Officially we are told Singapore is a constitutional democracy. Nothing can be further from the truth. In a constitutional democracy, the persons forming the government have to hold their positions in accordance with the Constitution. Therefore the position of the Prime Minister, the Ministers, the members of the Cabinet, the Members of Parliament all have authority because these positions are approved under the Constitution.

But in the entire Constitution, you will like to know that there is not a single reference whatsoever for "Minister Mentor". Lee Kuan Yew has created this position for himself without any legal authority, and furthermore decide to pay himself for a position which is itself illegal, $3 million or so a year. Totally downright illegal and unconstitutional.

This Minister Mentor is 83 years old. Let alone the fact the position of Minister Mentor is itself illegal, we should ask Lee Kuan Yew, the Minister Mentor, how much mentoring has he done to justify this salary of $3 million. He has not provided any time sheets to show how much mentoring he has done, how many hours exactly and why that amount of mentoring is worth this huge colossal amount of $3 million a year. All that he does, as we see, is giving some unsolicited speeches on what and how the world should be, which most us find tiresome and boring beyond endurance and very often, down right silly. Second he goes around the world telling every one else how they should run their countries when no one else has even asked. If this is the sort of mentoring he provides, it is totally useless to anyone.

But what is even more puzzling is why should he be mentoring anyone. If we are to assume that his self imposed duties as Minister Mentor includes mentoring his son, the Prime Minister, to whom he has given that position; why is it that his son, can only do the job if he is mentored by someone? Is he not then, unfit for the job, and should he not let someone else be prime minister who doesn't need mentoring. Furthermore, this would save the taxpayer of $ 3 million a year, which now goes to pay this self proclaimed mentor, which should be ordinarily unnecessary. Look around you. Does the British Prime Minster Gordon Brown have a mentor on how he should govern? John Howard of Australia does not have one either. No other country has this professional position of mentor.

And it downright silly for a government to claim to have been voted into power and yet say that they can only do the job if they are "mentored".

As we know Mr. Lee Kuan Yew is 83 years old. He has to die some day. When he dies who is going to mentor his son? No provisions have been made for this, since it does appear from his son's total lack of ability, that he indeed needs a full time mentor, and even a nanny perhaps, to show him how to be Prime Minister. It should be the responsibility of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew to look around now for a suitable mentor for his son, before he dies, otherwise, without mentoring, Singapore will be in a worse shape than it already is.

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

More Singapore lawyers are leaving the profession. Should anyone be suprised?

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Singapore. In the Singapore state controlled newspaper "The Straits Times", Aug 18, 2007, (just as all the other newspapers are equally owned and controlled by the state) in the article headed "Pay lawyers more to keep them: Chief Justice", the Chief Justice of Singapore, Mr. Chan Sek Keong, in his speech to Singapore UK Law Students Society, acknowledges that more and more young lawyers are leaving the legal profession. And in order to remedy the situation, he suggests that lawyers should be paid more, because, according to him, I quote "greed works most of the time" and therefore paying more money, will do the trick.

I would like to tell the Chief Justice that he should speak for himself. We already know that greed will work in his case; for him to do anything and everything, however unconscionable and disgusting in his capacity as the Chief Justice where he doubles as Lee Kuan Yew's political enforcer. But please, Mr. Chief Justice, speak for yourself. Not everyone can be bought with money.

We have ample evidence of the Chief Justice's willingness to do anything for money. As an example, you will recall his deciding a case, during the 1997 national elections; when PAP politicians were caught red-handed inside polling stations in clear violation of the Parliamentary Elections Act. His shocking decision in that case was that PAP MPs did no wrong because, believe it or not, it is an offense to loiter around an Elections polling station but not an offense if you are actually found inside it!

Good Heavens. The whole intent of this provision in the Parliamentary Elections Act was to prohibit any undue influence or coercion by politicians of polling officials to ensure impartiality. Therefor the provision in the law that politicians are prohibited from being found within or near the polling stations. As to whether which was a greater wrong, that is weather being found inside the polling station was a more serious violation than being seen seen near it; anyone with a working head on his shoulders would say, obviously that it was the former, namely being found inside. But his verdict came as no surprise to anyone, since after all the Chief Justice is a servant of Lee Kuan Yew, and since the politicians committing the violation were members of his political party.

From this decision, it is quite clear that the Singapore Chief Justice is either a bad lawyer, or he deliberately abused the law to favor Lee Kuan Yew and the Peoples Action Party. And not only these circumstances; he is paid US$ 2 million per year (not counting other money that he corruptly receives, which we will never know) as the Chief Justice. Looking at these circumstances, can you even doubt that Mr. Chief Justice is in the practice of law because it pays very well for him, therefore he willingly tailors his verdicts to suit Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and company.

It is unfortunate that he has a very low opinion of human kind. Unlike him, who prostitutes himself and his office of the Chief Justice of Singapore to serve not the law, but his master and benefactor Lee Kuan Yew, most other self respecting human beings have such a thing as honor and integrity. In other words, most people, especially those of good upbringing, an education and self confidence, will not permit themselves to be bought over to do dirty work, like he does. The best will not come just for money, regardless of how much. He should understand that.

The law is the one profession where these qualities of integrity and honor are mandatory; a person without these qualities will find it difficult to survive in this profession. Second, the law is a calling. One dedicates one's life to it, regardless of the monetary rewards. But then, if you are a good lawyer, monetary rewards will automatically follow. But the reason to go into the profession of law would be to serve the law, not worship money. Mr. Chief Justice of Singapore does not understand that.

Singaporeans aspiring to be lawyers, like anyone else in other countries is aware of the unique nature of the legal profession and it's calling. It is those with a desire to serve mankind and to spend a lifetime in it that go into this profession. If it was money, they would probably have gone into banking or stock brokering. I am surprised the Chief Justice does not appear to know this.

The Chief Justice claims that the reason for lawyers leaving the Singapore legal profession are long hours unrewarding pay and stress reasons. The Chief Justice should be told that none of this is the reason for lawyers retiring. In fact one reason why lawyers are leaving is the Chief Justice himself; the dishonesty and lack of integrity in himself.

Everyone knows that in Singapore, the Chief Justice and all the other judges are now thoroughly corrupt to the core. The legal profession in Singapore is beholden to Lee Kuan Yew and the PAP as is seen by the routine use of defamation actions and the bankrupting of opposition politicians, including the democracy activists Yap Keng Ho, Chee Siok Chin and Monica Ambalam yesterday.

Everyone knows that the law in Singapore is an instrument of repression wielded by Lee and his PAP, through judges like the Chief Justice, to destroy their political opponents. In other words, the Chief Justice, the legal profession and the judiciary have been thoroughly discredited. That is why lawyers leave the profession in Singapore and there are no takers from students into the profession.

Since the law in Singapore is thoroughly politicised, it makes no meaning to mechanically utter the words such as the rule of law, natural justice and so on, when the student knows it does not exist. The Singapore Judiciary is nothing more that a PAP government department used to silence dissent by distorting and abusing the law. Therefore any honest person would find it uncomfortable to claim he is lawyer, when he knows that he cannot get justice whenever the government is opposed to it.

Furthermore one cannot expect to advance in the profession through hard work and study, since it is not hard work and study that is rewarded but the willingness to comply with any demands of the government; to tow the government line; in other words the willingness to be a sycophantic running dog of the PAP. In Singapore, only these compliant dishonest opportunists, prepared to do the PAP's dirty work for money advance in their careers. One example is the turbaned Sikh lawyer who Lee Kuan Yew has retained as his permanent counsel to destroy political opponents thorough defamation actions. One the other hand, honest and upright legal hopefuls will have to contend with a meagre existence.

So we can tell this million dollar Chief Justice of Singapore who doubles as the political enforcer for Mr. Lee Kuan Yew in eliminating political opponents by bankrupting them, which has become now, a major component of his duties; that lawyers will continue to leave and throwing more money at them will not solve your problem. Those after money would have already become stock brokers, bankers and businessmen.

Mr. Chief Justice of Singapore can give as many speeches as he wants. The problem with him is that he has been thoroughly discredited. And building more law colleges will not solve the problem. Let me tell him this. He has a two fold insurmountable problem here. One the numbers will decline. Second the quality of those remaining will decline even further.

The only way he could stop the rot is to transform the legal profession into one that can be respected. Alas, I think it is too late. The damage done cannot be undone.

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

The bankrupting of opposition activists by the Lee Administration is a provocation that will not be left unanswered. Let there be no mistake.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Singapore. The bankrupting of opposition activists by the Lee Administration yesterday, is a provocation that will not be left answered. Let there be no mistake.

The Singapore Democratic Website reports on August 17, 2007 "Media Release: Courts Bankrupt Activists". Chee Siok Chin, Yap Keng Ho and Monica Kumar were bankrupted for exercising their rights as citizens when they filed suit in court for a declaration that police acted utra vires, and illegally, when they ordered the dispersal of their peaceful demonstration during the recent NKF scandal.

Please refer to my earlier blog dated August 10, 2007: "Singapore. The impending bankruptcy of Chee Siok Chin, Yap Keng Ho and Monica Kumar. Is the government playing with fire?" for a background.

The government, having gone ahead with this decision to bankrupt them, have clearly made a grave mistake; which they will deeply regret. Lee Kuan Yew, the Singaporean bully, who runs his country by threatening and intimidating everyone; has in this case, failed to follow the cardinal rule of bullies, which is, "never mess with those who are not afraid of you"

In this case, the three, have not, and will never be, afraid of Lee and his despotic government. Lee Kuan Yew's using the courts to illegally bankrupt them will only strengthen their resolve and determination to fight this dictatorship with even more vigour and tenacity. If Lee thought that bankrupting them is going to silence them, he has completely misjudged the resolve of these three.

The three, Chee, Yap and Monica are determined courageous citizens, well known to Singaporeans, who are prepared to stand up for democracy in Singapore and to that end, they will face the devil if necessary. It is well known that these three have protested demonstrated and publicly challenged this dictatorship for several years; to demand that they listen to reason and allow democracy to the people as required by the Constitution. And in so doing they have been repeatedly fined and punished and in the case of Yap, even imprisoned. But yet they remain undaunted and defiant; determined to hold their ground and mocking this tyrant Lee Kuan Yew, telling him in no uncertain terms, that they are not afraid and will not be intimidated. They say, as loudly as they can that they are citizens, and citizens have rights.

I hope that these three, for whom I have the utmost respect, will continue public protest with increased frequency, and invite this unjust administration to punish them even more. As Dr. Chee has said, the government has made a serious mistake into thinking that bankrupting them will silence them. The government should understand that for courageous Singaporeans, bankruptcy or imprisonment will not silence their agitation for freedom.

I expect the three will spread the word far and wide to their colleagues and friends who can clearly see the injustice in this bankruptcy. I hope this action by the government will embolden others even more, like they have emboldened these three, into coming out into the open and demanding their rights as they are entitled under law.

Perhaps the three with Dr. Chee will print leaflets decrying the injustice in this bankruptcies for general distribution at street corners. Other civil disobedience actions such as printing banners and placards for display throughout the island. Posting leaflets on walls and public places exposing the injustices and the corruption of the Lee Kuan Yew Dynasty. Making speeches in public without the need of permits, speaking out on the evil being done by this administration.

By the courage and resolve of these three and of others to follow, who will live forever in the annals of Singapore's walk to democracy, the people will eventually achieve their rights to live as self respecting human beings.

I think, the Lee Kuan Yew Administration, unwittingly, has helped these democracy activists in their path to justice and freedom.

The reader should keep in mind that the Lee Administration's hold on to power is presently, at best, tenuous. They realize that their support has hit rock bottom. They realize that the people are outraged by the million dollar salaries to Ministers. Outraged by the government withholding CPF monies of workers, the increase in the GST, the increase in the transport utilities and housing charges. The indiscriminate flood of foreign workers into Singapore taking away jobs of local born Singapore citizens. The drop, not rise, in wages for Singaporeans. The lack of transparency in the finances of all government bodies such as Tumesak, GIC and all public bodies leaving one in doubt, as to how much of the people's money is being siphoned by Lee Kuan Yew and his friends. The complete corruption of the Singapore judiciary.

If the people needed a spark to set fire to their passions, at this opportune moment, when the Lee Administration's support in Singapore has hit rock bottom; for them to finally come out to the streets to protest the injustices; to say that we will not take anymore of this nonsense; perhaps this bankruptcy is that long awaited spark that has finally come to move the people into action.

If that is the welcome consequence of this bankruptcy, I think we all should rightly thank Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.

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

Singapore. More foreigners taking up Singapore citizenship?

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Singapore state controlled newspaper the Straits Times reports on August 15, 2007 that "More foreigners are taking up Singapore citizenship". As with any report put out by any government controlled newspaper anywhere in the world, keeping in mind that all newspapers in Singapore are entirely government owned and controlled; one is likely to ask whether this is really fact or is it just propaganda? Simply just another false report to glorify the real or imaginary achievements, as the case may be, of a country in decline?

As is usually the case in totalitarian dictatorships like Singapore, which is one; anyone who knows Singapore in any degree of depth, will immediately know that this report too is a total fabrication; another of their daily attempts in desperation; to put on a smiling face to cover the real challenges faced by this administration, in this instance, the loss of human talent to emigration.

The real fact is that Singapore, despite Lee Kuan Yew having imposed happiness on it's people by building various amusement parks arbours and shopping malls, the population of Singapore is declining in more ways than one, namely, massive brain drain to Western countries; a serious decline in childbirth figures which has now come to the non replacement level of the population; and their inability to attract immigration from educated people abroad who see Singapore as nothing more than an absolute dictatorship; a country which whips and hangs their citizens.

In the newspaper article referred to, they mention merely 2 individuals, one a Mr. Larry Medina, an accountant, who is referred to as an American with an Indonesian wife who for some unknown reason had decided to give up his American citizenship and decide to live in Singapore instead. But we are not told why this man, an accountant would have wanted to act in such a bizarre manner, leaving a democracy to live instead in a dictatorship!

There could be a multitude of reasons both wholesome or sinister in this man's odd behaviour. It could even be that he is running away from the law in United States and is taking refuge in Singapore, just as the millionaire Indonesian money launderers are doing. We will never know.

The report states that he is doing so because he believes that the economies of Asia and Singapore are booming and he wanted to take advantage of that. Yet if he is indeed an accountant with an education commensurate with this profession, he would have known that Singapore is no better than Burma in their human rights record; surely a reason for him not to bring up his children in such a politically stifling controlled repressive atmosphere!

Yet on the other hand he may have some other reason which we do not know.

Then the report refers to a Burmese project engineer who came to live in Singapore. In his case, there is no mention why he decided to come to Singapore instead; unlike the majority of his Burmese countrymen who prefer to emigrate to Western countries such as Australia and the USA. Does he also have something to hide? Or has he applied to go to the West but has been unsuccessful and accepted Singapore as a second choice. And will he in the future decide to pack and leave for Australia if they finally accept him? These are questions for which we do not have answers.

We should tell Julia Ng, the Straits Times reporter who wrote this article that people no longer believe the tales put out by her government owned and controlled paper. Her report is simply false. One piece of evidence to prove my charge is the fact that they managed, of the thousands, which is a small number anyway, who they claim to have made Singapore their home; they could report on just 2 individuals, this accountant Larry Medina and the Burman project engineer Maung; who moreover are not prepared to go into any detail as why they chose chose the dictatorship of Singapore.

Now let us look at the real facts, which is that yet again, like all the other projects conceived in the minds of the million dollar ministers, this attempt at attracting foreign talent to Singapore has failed miserably. And this report is an example of the desperation that Lee Kuan Yew and his friends are facing from a dwindling population resulting from the bad image that Singapore has abroad, a dictatorship under the grip of one man Lee Kuan Yew, intolerant of dissent; a country which has the highest rate of executions in the world and which despite it's claim that it is a first world country, whips it's citizens for criminal infractions.

Lee Kuan Yew knows that Singapore has a bad name in the world. It is not a country where able educated men and women would prefer to live. And he knows that.

Here are the facts. Reproduction has declined almost to zero. The population is unable to replace itself.

There is massive brain drain of the educated from Singapore to the West. Singapore is losing it's best and talented citizens.

The type of immigration they are attracting into Singapore is at best mediocre. Only second rate persons unable to emigrate to their most favoured countries such as Australia for lacking requisite qualifications are picked up by Singapore. Such migrants are not the ones who can propel Singapore to become a great city of education knowledge culture and innovation. In fact many reports consistently state that most of those coming into Singapore are unskilled workers and workers with very little skills, even if they had any.

The educated who are leaving Singapore in droves are not being replaced by skilled immigrants from abroad. As a result, the government is constantly having problems trying to recruit sufficiently educated Singaporeans to join the work force. Instead their desire is to leave Singapore permanently. In fact in a survey recently conducted, and reported in the Singapore press, as much as 47% of young people said, when asked, that if given a chance, they would emigrate.

The Singapore government does not, even up till now, understand that as the good proverb said, "Man does not live by bread alone". He needs to be able have some control over his destiny and the way he lives. In other words he desires self determination, which is denied him in fascist Singapore. As Singapore does not permit any healthy debate as long as the debate is not to the liking of the government, people who wish to live in a society where there is a clash of ideas and thoughtful debate will continue to leave the shores of Singapore.

And instead Singapore will attract the likes of Mr. Larry Medina and the Burmese Maung, who may have had more reasons than what meets the eye to choose Singapore to live, out of all other real countries in the world.

And of course Singapore will successfully attract the second rate partly skilled and unskilled immigrants who would make up the statistics for the Singapore bureaucrat in the Singapore Ministry of Manpower trying to please Lee Kuan Yew with the necessary figures.

Thank you

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

Is the statement by the Education Minister, "Singapore's education system ensures equal oppurtunity" true?

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Yesterday's Straits Times report by the Education Minster claims that Singapore's education system provides equal opportunity for all. First, this statement is false. Second, the education provided is itself mediocre at best.

There was a detailed study by an Australian professor some time ago, that the Chinese are overwhelmingly preferred for scholarships and top government positions over the Indians and worse still against the Malays. His report shows that consistently over many years, almost all and in some cases all government scholarships through the various government departments went consistently only to the Chinese. A quick look at the statistics even now will clearly confirm this.

Are we to assume that Indians and Malays in Singapore are almost always inferior to the Chinese when it comes to education? Or is there a deliberate policy to deny equal opportunity to Indians and Malays as opposed to the Chinese.

I have to say categorically that most ordinary Chinese have nothing against the Malays and Indians. My charge is not against my Chinese brethren. We live in one country which belongs to all of us. It is not the Chinese man in the street , who is the friend of all of us who is to blame. It is this corrupt Lee Kuan Yew Administration which deliberately wishes to fracture and polarise the society so that they, the PAP can continue to rule.

They are playing the oldest trick in the book, that is to divide and rule; to set up one group against the other, so that control becomes easier.

The Minister also says that in deciding on scholarships, the family background of the student does not matter. This is a complete falsehood. The scholarships are always given to children whose parents are supportive of this Lee Kuan Yew dictatorship so as to ensure that like their parents who are PAP supporters, their children too will continue to support this corrupt administration when they are given high paying jobs in the government upon completion of their studies. This is a very sure way to ensure the continued hegemony of Lee and his government. To put in another way, I scratch your back and you scratch mine.

Second, the education itself is mediocre. It is intended solely to teach vocational skills needed for their jobs, but not anything that can make them think abut what citizenship really means.

First, none of these students that graduate from these Singapore institutions appear to know whether they have such a thing as a Constitution and what rights they have. They do not appear to know that the government is there to serve them according to their wishes. They do not appear to understand that citizenship has it's rights and they are the ones who are in control. They do not appear to understand that they do not have to take no for an answer when their rights are ignored. Instead, they merely do their jobs and go home, assuming that it is the PAP government who have all the rights to decide how they should live their lives every day.

One can hardly call these people in Singapore, educated.

You can check it out for yourselves. Ask the clerk who works in the Killiney Road Post Office why is it that people need a permit in Singapore to speak to others in public. You would probably get a blank stare from her; nothing more than that. You might as well have put that question to your tin pot kettle! Needless to say, I doubt very much if you will get a lively debate from her on the virtues or otherwise of democracy. It would be no different than speaking to a person from the dark side of the Moon!

Therefore the observation is quite clear. The education system in Singapore does not provide equal opportunity for all. And second, it is deliberately geared to provide only half an education so that the people will continue in ignorance and permit this government to ride roughshod over them in perpetuity.

Another lie told by this corrupt million dollar administration.

And you can tell that to the Education Minister, a million dollar one at that.

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

August 11, 2007 Singapore government function at San Francisco Bay Area, a total failure

Ladies and Gentlemen,

A quick update on the Singapore government function attempt to connect with Singaporeans for the National Day on August 11, 2007 at Redwood Shores, San Francisco Bay Area California.

It was a total flop. Almost everyone stayed away. I suppose they had in mind the following:

1. Singapore government ministers theft of millions of dollars in so called salaries. Not only that their Ministers dancing on TV after they got the money!

2. The misuse of the Singapore legal system by Lee Kuan Yew to stifle criticism.

3. His refusal to pay CPF to the workers and insisting that they carry on working till they die.

4. His insistence on lowering wages by bringing in the Bangladeshis.

5. His gangster like arrogance.

6. The incompetence of his son.

7. The nonsense put out by Comical Vivian (Vivian Balakrishnan)

8. The continuing mismanagement of Singaporean reserves by his daughter in law.

9. The insistence that Singaporeans recite the National Pledge which they know to be untrue.

10. His responsibility for ruining the reputation of Singapore as a place where people are caned, unable to speak intelligent English but Singlish which no one else can understand, a country which executed Nguyen Houng Van the poor Australian boy.

11. Shame on you, they said. We will not attend.

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

Singapore. The widening income gap and the consequences.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The World Politics Review, a magazine on international politics in its August 10, 2007 report by Fabio Scarpello "Uneasy Birthdays for Singapore Indonesia and Malaysia" has some startling facts.

It says although Singapore has continued to enjoy 7.6% annual growth, the majority of Singaporeans have not benefited. The wealthiest 10% have continued to enjoy annual rise in incomes of 2.3% whereas the poorest 10% have actually suffered 4.3% drop in income yearly.

It goes on to say that although the number of millionaires in Singapore has increased by 21% to some 67,000 people, more than 60 % of Singaporeans do not have to pay tax! Their incomes are too low and therefore are not liable for tax!

As for the millionaires, keep in mind that a large number of them are Indonesian money launderers and fugitive criminals who have parked their ill gotten gains in Singapore with the permission of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, tax free.

What this tells us is simply that Singapore is no more than a low cost country where people work for peanuts (to borrow that word made famous by Mrs. Goh Chok Tong when she referred to TT Durai's salary of several thousand dollars as peanuts) only to support the high incomes of company owners to support their lavish lifestyles.

And the future for these poorly paid workers appears to become progressively bleak, as the government appears determined to bring down their wages even further by permitting unlimited numbers of workers from even poorer countries to flood the labor market in Singapore, thus taking jobs away from Singaporeans and depressing wages even further.

In my previous post, I had said that this government appears determined to bring Singaporeans wages at par with the wages in Bangladesh and it appears this government is succeeding comfortably. Yes, the Singapore government is succeeding very well in depressing low income wages even further.

What you have in Singapore is this. You have the government cronies and ministers and their friends and family, I think the word is nepotism and corruption, who take or rather steal from the people several millions of dollars each year which they call salary, but in fact it is no more than just plain and simple theft. This goes on in broad daylight, with government approval, which they themselves are.

Then you have the masses, as I mentioned those who do not have to pay taxes because their income is too little, who toil away at Bangladesh wage levels only to support the lavish lifestyles of Lee Kuan Yew, his family and friends and faithfuls, not forgetting his good friend, the President of Singapore SR Nathan.


By and large these masses are deliberately kept half educated because they were deliberately kept out of higher education on the lame excuse that there are not enough places in tertiary education. I say deliberately half educated because without an education these lower wage people are unable to realize that they are in fact no more than slaves.

All that matters for them is a decent job and 3 meals a day for themselves and their family. Things such as fundamental freedoms such as the need for a free press, right of assembly and speech and other such rights which people in other more developed countries cherish more than anything else, does not enter the equation. Simply because they have not been made aware that such rights are important. Simply put, they are ignorant, though a lack of education. And the PAP government is determined to keep them ignorant. An empty head is much easier to control than a full one.

In between these masses with little or no education, unaware of their democratic rights and the filthy rich top 10%, you have the educated who are aware of their rights and are fully realized of their plight. They are aware that Singapore is no more than a fascist state which deliberately keeps their citizens poorly educated, they are aware that Singaporeans hardly have any rights, and every organ of civil society is firmly in the hands of one man, Lee Kuan Yew.

Among these educated, there are a few such as Dr. Chee who dares to deliberately and openly challenge Lee Kuan Yew's authority and thereby willingly suffer great hardship and punishment therefore. But such courageous men and women like Dr. Chee and Chee Siok Chin, Gandhi Ambalam and Monica Kumar are few.

The large majority among the educated, who really understand that the average Singaporean is no better than a slave, decide to have no part of it. They either withdraw from any participation with this government or they decide to emigrate.

This is where the government appears to be suffering. In order to run the administration of a country like Singapore and to staff the administrative and executorial positions of large companies, the country has to have highly educated professionals dedicated to their jobs and to their country. But because it is well known that the Singapore government and their politicians are no better than gangsters, who abuse the legal system, the civil service and punish and bankrupt political opponents, the educated either leave the country or refuse to cooperate with this administration.

Without sufficient numbers of highly trained and experienced executive officers, Singapore will not be able to continue much longer. Singapore has shot itself in the foot. The fact that it is a corrupt regime is known throughout out world. It has lost its reputation. It cannot persuade sufficient local talent to remain in the country and neither can it attract foreign talent to work and settle in Singapore.

In fact it is very clear form the reports that of the 670,000 foreigners who hold permits to work in Singapore, 60% are comprised of Filipina maids, construction workers from Bangladesh India and Burma and other unskilled workers from nearby countries.

There is a ongoing massive brain drain of the educated out of Singapore. These people who are the very ones needed in Singapore are not being replaced through immigration, because despite all the effort of the Singapore government in recruitment in countries such as Australia and the UK, the impression that is entrenched in the minds of the people in the West is that Singapore is a country that metes out corporal punishment to it's people, it has the highest execution rate in the world and anyone who criticized Lee Kuan Yew is liable to be made bankrupt. Such is not a country that a UK citizen would want to live in.

Among the lower working classes there has to be some support for the PAP and his Lee Kuan Yew. These people, not knowing that they are entitled to any better, join the PAP organized Residents Committees and join the PAP in the hope that such support will result in their benefiting though Lee's patronage. One really cannot fault them, since after all they are ignorant. It would be impossible to have a debate with them on the need for freedom of speech for instance.

But sadly for Lee Kuan Yew and his family, they are going to find that as time goes on, the only ones remaining in Singapore would be these half educated lot who would be content to live under the yoke of Lee Kuan Yew because they know no better. But these lower educated people are not the ones needed in the Singapore of the future.

And without sufficient numbers of discerning and demanding citizens, not just yes sir yes sir men, Singapore will not be able to compete. And not being able to compete, it will fall.

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

Singapore. The impending bankruptcy of Chee Siok Chin, Yap Keng Ho and Monica Kumar. Is the government playing with fire?

Ladies and Gentlemen,

With the impending bankruptcy of Chee Siok Chin, Yap Keng Ho and Monica Kumar is the government playing with fire?

August 7, 07 report in the Singapore Democrat Website http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/ entitled "AG to make Chee Siok Chin and 2 others bankrupt" reports that the Singapore Attorney General has commenced bankruptcy proceedings against Ms. Chee Siok Chin, Mr. Yap Keng Ho and Ms. Monica Kumar for their failure to pay legal costs amounting to Singapore $23,000.00 resulting from their failed law suit against the government.

It is reported, their cases will be heard in the High Court on August 17, 2007. Please check the court calender or the Singapore Democratic Party for exact times.

A brief background on their case is as follows. After the recent public disclosure of the massive fraud and corruption in the Singapore Charity, The National Kidney Foundation, the above 3 individuals and another Mr. Charles Tan had carried out a peaceful and silent demonstration outside the Central Provident Building in Robinson Road, holding up banners, placards and slogans decrying the lack of transparency in public institutions such as the GIC, CPF and public bodies and reminding the government that it is responsible to the people and not the other way round.

Under Singapore law, a public assembly of 5 or more persons, even if entirely peaceful, requires a government permit. The above 4 individuals, trying their best to uphold the law, which is unjust in Singapore at it's best, deliberately kept their number to 4 so as not to upset Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and his dictatorship, since we all know that Mr. Lee Kuan Yew tends to be upset very easily!

Even so, despite the fact that they had followed the law to the letter, Lee Kuan Yew had ordered his riot squad, mind you, not just the ordinary police, but the riot squad, which one would have thought were seldom sent out except in cases where there was violent mass public rioting, numbering about 50 policemen in full riot gear with weapons and truncheons drawn to confront these four unarmed peaceful protesters.

It really wasn’t necessary to go to the extent they did with the riot squad. Sending out a single unarmed policeman there would have been more than sufficient.

When the riot squad arrived, it not only intimidated the 4 peaceful citizen protesters, it must have frightened the other peaceful passers by into thinking that perhaps the people had finally decided to engage in a revolution against the corrupt dictator Lee Kuan Yew and his government. They must have been overjoyed, even for a moment, if they had read the “Tale of Two Cities” by Dickens that this was another French Revolution in the making which has finally arrived to liberate the Singaporeans who presently live as slaves.

Anyway, the moment the police arrived, the four peaceful protesters stopped their peaceful protest and went home.

But the point was that Lee Kuan Yew's police had abused their powers by dispersing them since they were within the law in their actions.

Aggrieved, as expected of any law abiding responsible citizen, they filed Originating Summonses in the High Court of Singapore for a declaration that the police had abused their authority in ordering them to leave when they were entitled to remain there as citizens, not having broken any law.

The High Court Judge was VK Rajah, just like all other judges in Singapore, nothing more than Lee Kuan Yew's errand boy. It came as no surprise that within a few minutes he came to his decision, not only that they had no right to protest, but he even went on to say that in Singapore it is actually "unlawful to criticize the government"! A remarkable statement indeed, even in Singapore! Not only that, he ordered them to pay the government's costs for having "wasted their time".

Either unable to unwilling to pay, it did not matter, but the government did not get their money. Now the Government intends to bankrupt them for their failure to pay.

It may sound odd, my saying this, but in a way, I am glad that the government is going after Chee Siok Chin, Yap Keng Ho and Monica Kumar. You see, these 3 are not the ordinary Singaporean who will accept anything that Lee Kuan Yew throws at them, in meek submission. They are seasoned political activists with a tenacity and determination as steel itself. They are not going to take it lying down, that is for sure.

That is why I say that in fact, the government, in going after these 3, have in fact unwittingly opened a Pandora’s box, a can of worms. The government has in effect disturbed the hornet's nest. And now the hornets are determined to sting.

Chee Siok Chin is a well known politician both in Singapore and abroad. Both Singaporeans and foreigners are aware that she is being persecuted for her political beliefs. They are aware that her cause is just. And each time they hurt Siok Chin without just cause, her support both locally and aboard increases. If the government was somewhat wiser, which thank God they are not; it would have been best to leave her alone. This proposed action to bankrupt her not only emboldens her, it strengthens her resolve and it gives her valuable ammunition to recruit other sympathizers to her side. Since after all, her greatest strength is that justice is on her side. Not the side of the government. I know that, you know that, Singaporeans know that and the world knows that.

In this long war of attrition, the government has fired their first salvo, but regrettably for them, aimed at themselves.

Yap Keng Ho is a fighter. I am honored to say that he is my friend. A formidable fellow, willing to wrestle 10 lions at one time if called upon. He went to prison recently for standing up to principle against Lee's injustices and while there successfully embarked on a hunger strike drinking only water, being no worse in the end for it. Immediately after being released, I heard that he ran the marathon, just for the sake of it. The government should realize by now, which they haven't up till now, that people such as Yap and Siok Chin are made of sterner stuff. They cannot be pushed around.

Yap is well known and well liked in his community. This injustice to him, will not only embolden him, but is likely to increase the support and sympathy of others in his group. This irrational decision to proceed against them, will only tend to strengthen their cause and weaken the government's position.

Similarly with Monica Kumar, a long standing human rights campaigner in Singapore who has worked for the rights of Singaporeans courageously for many years despite having to suffer repeated harassment and retribution from the Lee Kuan Yew dictatorship. She too has a wide network of friends and supporters who realize and sympathize with her cause. This impending bankruptcy will only increase the numbers of her sympathizers and will certainly hurt the government's position, which is already weakening day by day.

I had always asked for public protests against this unjust government. I had repeatedly said that the opposition has to repeatedly provoke the government into action such as arresting peaceful protesters. In order to achieve that, there has to be more protests. With more protests, hopefully more will be arrested. This will cause a reaction from the people as more would be outrage by government excesses. The chain reaction would have started with action provoking reaction, until finally the government will be forced to listen to the people.

With the proposed bankruptcy of these courageous men and women, the government is in fact helping the opposition to increase both their respectability and credibility even further.

Which ever way one looks at it, Chee Siok Chin, Yap Keng Ho and Monica Kumar are engaged in a noble cause. In the end, they must win.

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