Ladies and Gentlemen,
On February 27, 2008 Mas Salamat Kastari, an alleged member of the Jama Islamia, in detention at the top security Internal Security Detention Center at Whitely Road managed to escape. Did he manage it himself or was he given a helping hand?
I don't think anyone who knows anything about Singapore or it's prisons even for one moment actually believes that Kastari managed to escape himself. Not possible in Singapore unless he can fly, but he cannot. And mind you even if he can fly, he still will not be able to escape from this particular facility because even Fort Knox does not have the security that it has. To put it in 3 words, that place at Onoret Road is "Top Top Security" from which no one escapes, period. Regardless of the stories put out by the state controlled press of Singapore, such as " he escaped from the prison's toilet"! You can say that to the Marines! But you are not saying that to me!
How then did he manage it? If you consider the background facts, many possibilities come to mind.
The JI are connected to Al Queda. And being Arabs, they have money. Lots of it. And their reputation is being hurt by their number one man in JI being held in Singapore. So with their money, they are in a good position to try to get their man out. Their reputation is hurting with their Number one JI man in prison in Singapore.
Then we have the Gurkhas who are the main guards at that facility. Gurkhas come from Nepal. No matter how good their reputation is for integrity and loyalty, they come from a country where corruption is a way of life.You cannot manage to get anything done, even the simplest thing, without a bribe. The Gurkhas coming from Nepal are fully accustomed in these corrupt ways; even if they themselves are not corrupt.
Then we have the local Singaporean police and Internal Security Department Officers who are in charge. In Singapore corruption exists at the highest levels of government and is openly done. The Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew and his son, pay themselves $3.7 million a year, not counting the other millions being siphoned off from the profits of government linked companies such as Tumasek and GIC Singapore. Such corruption by the Lee family is condoned by the Singapore population.
With such a bad example set by the government ministers themselves, at the highest levels of bureaucracy, Singapore people have become immersed in corrupt ways. You have heard of Singapore lawyers being the most dishonest of lawyers anywhere in the world, with their constant running away with their clients money. Almost one lawyer a month!
Then we constantly hear of corrupt police officers, corrupt real estate agents, corrupt officers of charities, the biggest crooks being those in the National Kidney Foundation whose theft ran into several millions. Corruption is an accepted way of life for Singaporeans, such as it is for the citizens of Nepal.
So is it not possible that the following had happened? From 2006, the time Kastrai had been detained at the Whitely Detention Center, oil rich Arab financiers could have been talking to the Singapore police and ISD officers and the Gurkha police there; to see if they could bribe one or more of them to arrange an escape for Kastari, in return for a small bribe of say $3 million US dollars, to be paid into the bank account of say, Ram Bahadhur Gurung, a common Gurkha name, into his bank account in Kathmandu or perhaps Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles?
Or perhaps the bank account of Chua Mui Hoong or some other like her, ISD officer who doubles as the Editor of the state controlled paper the Straits Times; into her bank account perhaps in the Cayman Islands or Bermuda?
$3 million US Dollars is very encouraging and very persuasive for both the particular Gurkha officer or the corrupt Singapore police or ISD Officer; but a mere trifling for the oil rich Arabs.
This is what I think could have happened. It is impossible for him to escape from that detention facility. He was assisted, perhaps by a Gurkha. It is true that Gurkhas have an impeccable reputation for loyalty and integrity, but only so far. Yes, they served the British Army loyally and with distinction for over 400 years. They do so even today. But with the Gurkhas increased sophistication and modernity today, the question is, do they have the same loyalty for dictatorships like Singapore and for dictators such as Lee Kuan Yew.
I am sure every Gurkha just like most educated Singaporeans have only disgust and abhorrence for men such as Lee Kuan Yew who go around the island bullying his detractors. Singapore, they know, is not Her Britannic Majesty's Great Britain. The UK is a respectable country. Singapore is nothing more than a banana republic. So perhaps, a few Gurkhas had finally decided that Lee Kuan Yew himself should be taught a lesson by pointing out to him, that he is not so smart after all; took the money from the Arabs and will soon leave Singapore when their tour of duty ends for a life of luxury and privilege with $3 million dollars?
Could not some Singaporean like Chua Mui Hoong or some other ISD officer stationed at the detention facility have done the same?
In fact they could have not only carried out the escape; they probably also made Singapore look like an absolute fool. If you recall, the government had not made the escape public till 4 hours after the escape. Could not the Gurkhas and the Singapore police involved have deliberately done this so as to give ample time for Kastari to change from prison clothes; jump into a waiting car with his baggage; sped off to Malaysian border post with a false passport and quietly entered Malaysia en route to Indonesia. All easily in 4 long hours? And while Kastrari was already either in Malaysia or Indonesia, Singapore police have carried on with their desperate island wide manhunt searching under drains culverts manholes for the invincible JI leader.
And in fact, the Singapore police and army goons are still at it; with island wide manhunt, standing in the way of everyone and everybody going about their business; causing obstruction and annoyance; claiming to be looking for the elusive Kastari?
Had I been Kastari, safely in some village in Indonesia watching the hard work of the Singapore police, I would be opening a bottle of champagne and having a good laugh. But being a Muslim, perhaps he did not have that champagne, but nice good cup of coffee would be fine enough.
And by the way, should not Lee Kuan Yew, who does not trust his own Singapore police to guard him and his family; trusting the Gurkhas instead; perhaps now reconsider whether is it such a good idea after all; trusting these Gurkhas to protect them? If they could have possibly let Kastari escape for money, could they also not turn a blind eye if the Al Queda is minded to finish off Lee Kuan Yew? Perhaps for another small sum of $3 million US dollars? Lee Kuan Yew has to answer this question himself. I cannot do it for him.
And by the way, Singapore's octogenarian, Lee Kuan Yew, has written a book claiming it is a first world country!
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
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
A comment from James Tan in repsonse to my post "An Excellent Question" which explains this better than I could.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
James Tan had written a comment to my following blog post. As it explains the situation better than anyone, I am posting his comment below as a blog post.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
An excellent question from Edwin Soh which requires a full answer.
james tan said...
Dear Gopalan,
When Edwin Soh use words like modern and global city, followed by the word success, I wonder where he get these words from ... the political propaganda machinery?(No offence to Edwin, just that I was once like him)Because I believed the similar lies told to me, I have an Aussie lecturer who taught me to think independently to solve problems within an organisation. I use the same set of thinking to Singapore as an organisation and I came to realise that a lot of things do not add up.
Trust the Aussies who teach Marketing, they will sell you a dead horse. But nothing beats the marketing LKY put up. The outward first world facade of Singapore is too perfect, everything is too efficient. There are a lot of energy, but the energy seems to move in one direction. Singapore is like a perfect factory, with a first-class production line. And success is narrowly defined in financial and economic numbers.
But if we are living in a truly modern and global city, I would first expect a melting pot of people who arrive from all over the world, I would expect a totally imperfect organic living city, where tradition stand side by side with innovation, successful buildings alongside decaying buildings, but always with spots of urban renewal, where there are creative energy, and destructive energy. There are conformists and there are rebels. Alternative views are tolerated because no one has the answer on what the correct way to the future. I expect a lot of debate, people who contribute diverse ideas out of good intention. There are the odd or weird people who decided to do things differently. There are people who are passionate about their beliefs and want to change the world. But there are also failures who are given the dignity to live within the society and not as outcasts.
But for all these to happen, you have mentioned about the basic criterias
- the rule of law - no one is above the law, especially human beings
- an honest government whose politicians are open to public scrutiny and who are not afraid to apologise for past mistakes, even if the intentions of the policies at that time are for the good of the people.
- an independent judiciary
- an independent central bank
- respect for human rights and institution to uphold human rights
- a free and independent press, whose reporters are empowered to investigate without fear of reprisals from the investigated. At the same time, there are independent institutions to check on the power of the press.
- freedom of speech and expression where whistleblowers are protected by law, alternative views are valued.
But these are the very things which I was taught are dirty and only for barbaric countries. These things will disrupt the comfortable life I had in Singapore. I feel like I am betraying the countryman by quitting the place.
Finally, I realise how blissful ignorance is. Lies were so sweet.
And now, I am writing this comment, and think, what took me so long to regain my life. I should have left long ago. I am no difference from a North Korean escapee, esp it is my mind which is imprisoned.
February 24, 2008 5:25 AM
James Tan had written a comment to my following blog post. As it explains the situation better than anyone, I am posting his comment below as a blog post.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
An excellent question from Edwin Soh which requires a full answer.
james tan said...
Dear Gopalan,
When Edwin Soh use words like modern and global city, followed by the word success, I wonder where he get these words from ... the political propaganda machinery?(No offence to Edwin, just that I was once like him)Because I believed the similar lies told to me, I have an Aussie lecturer who taught me to think independently to solve problems within an organisation. I use the same set of thinking to Singapore as an organisation and I came to realise that a lot of things do not add up.
Trust the Aussies who teach Marketing, they will sell you a dead horse. But nothing beats the marketing LKY put up. The outward first world facade of Singapore is too perfect, everything is too efficient. There are a lot of energy, but the energy seems to move in one direction. Singapore is like a perfect factory, with a first-class production line. And success is narrowly defined in financial and economic numbers.
But if we are living in a truly modern and global city, I would first expect a melting pot of people who arrive from all over the world, I would expect a totally imperfect organic living city, where tradition stand side by side with innovation, successful buildings alongside decaying buildings, but always with spots of urban renewal, where there are creative energy, and destructive energy. There are conformists and there are rebels. Alternative views are tolerated because no one has the answer on what the correct way to the future. I expect a lot of debate, people who contribute diverse ideas out of good intention. There are the odd or weird people who decided to do things differently. There are people who are passionate about their beliefs and want to change the world. But there are also failures who are given the dignity to live within the society and not as outcasts.
But for all these to happen, you have mentioned about the basic criterias
- the rule of law - no one is above the law, especially human beings
- an honest government whose politicians are open to public scrutiny and who are not afraid to apologise for past mistakes, even if the intentions of the policies at that time are for the good of the people.
- an independent judiciary
- an independent central bank
- respect for human rights and institution to uphold human rights
- a free and independent press, whose reporters are empowered to investigate without fear of reprisals from the investigated. At the same time, there are independent institutions to check on the power of the press.
- freedom of speech and expression where whistleblowers are protected by law, alternative views are valued.
But these are the very things which I was taught are dirty and only for barbaric countries. These things will disrupt the comfortable life I had in Singapore. I feel like I am betraying the countryman by quitting the place.
Finally, I realise how blissful ignorance is. Lies were so sweet.
And now, I am writing this comment, and think, what took me so long to regain my life. I should have left long ago. I am no difference from a North Korean escapee, esp it is my mind which is imprisoned.
February 24, 2008 5:25 AM
Sunday, February 24, 2008
A call for protesters, Malaysian Indonesian Australian New Zealand Burmese and International for both March 15, 2008 and March 16, 2008, Singapore
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Caveat: Please note that I have neither the consent from the Singapore Democratic Party of Singapore nor the authority to call upon supporters to give support to this. However as a private citizen and a free man, I have the right to say what I want and to do what I want, which includes this.
Objective: This is a call for protesters in Malaysia including Hindraf, Indonesia, Burma, Australia and anywhere who are sympathetic to the cause of freedom in Singapore to join a proposed peaceful protest on either or both days, namely March 15, and/or March 16, 2008 which will hopefully be organized by the Singapore Democratic Party of Singapore to commemorate World Consumer Rights Day which is March 15, 2008 by holding a peaceful protest either in front of Singapore Parliament House and/ or at Merchant Loop, Liang Court Orchard Road Singapore on the said days. As for the time of protests including further details, please contact the Singapore Democratic Party website http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/ or Google Singapore Democrat
Background: Singapore is a dictatorship that does not allow freedom of speech or expression. Although the Singapore Constitution expressly guarantees freedom of speech and assembly, a statue which expressly violates this constitutional provision is in place which requires any assembly of 5 or more persons to require a government permit. If an assembly is held without the necessary permit, the protesters are arrested, summarily tried convicted and sentenced to jail terms. Even if anyone applied for this permit, the government will automatically deny such permits. In fact during the last 40 years, not a single permit has ever been granted to any opposition political party! In effect the situation is this. There is no right to assemble despite the constitutional guarantee and if you protested you will be punished!
Against this background, the government routinely grants permits to the ruling party to do whatever they want. In fact it is doubtful whether they even have to apply for one. It may be sufficient for them to tell any police officer that they are PAP members to anything they want.
As far as the Consumer Rights Day, on March 15, 2006, the ruling party, the PAP held a peaceful protest through their state sponsored organization The Consumers Association, in front of the Singapore Parliament House of over 100 placard holding protesters. The photographs of these PAP protesters was proudly displayed in the website of the Consumers Association of Singapore. I have read that those pictures have been since removed by the Lee Kuan Yew's PAP party and the Consumer Association of Singapore but they can still be viewed in the blog of the Singapore Democratic Party.
Dr. Chee Soon Juan of the Singapore Democratic Party, an opposition party, had applied to the Singapore police according to law to hold a similar peaceful protest for the forthcoming Consumer rights Day , March 15, 2008 but as was expected of this disgraced government, they had denied the request.
The correspondence between Dr. Chee and the Singapore Government on this total travesty of justice appears in the Singapore Democratic Party Blog.
As can be seen the refusal to grant the SDP this permit when they not only had allowed the Consumers Association a permit last year and furthermore have granted them a permit to hold one this year on March 16, 2008 at Liang Court Orchard Road to be held from 7 to 11 am, shows a determination to deny the opposition any equal opportunity whatsoever but not only that, they are flouting that fact!
It is expected that the government will be able to persuade several people to join them in their protest, not because anyone has any real fondness for them, but because, like opportunists anywhere in the world, there are those who would be prepared to compromise their principles for possible advantage.
In these circumstances, it must be very important for those who cherish freedom, liberty and democracy not to allow the government to get away with this abuse of citizens rights. And one way to show the government this is for the Singapore Democratic Party to defy the government and to hold peaceful protests not only in numbers larger than 5 but in fact in hundreds or even thousands. This authoritarian government has to be resisted and disobeyed.
Although I am not entirely certain, I am almost sure that that Dr. Chee of the Singapore Democratic Party is intending to hold peaceful protests on either March 15 or March 16, 2008 or even on both days to mark World Consumer Rights Day in defiance of the government without permits.
As you may be already aware by now, Singaporeans live under great fear of the Singapore government and many may not have the courage to turn out en mass. However unlike Singaporeans, I have seen Malaysians, Indonesians, Burmese, Australians and others who will not take no for an answer when justice is on their side. So I ask courageous Malaysians including Hindraf for whom the SDP had shown their support, including Malay and Chinese associations; I call upon the courageous Indonesians who have all along stood up to justice for their fellow citizens; I call upon the Thais and the Australians and the Burmese and New Zealanders; I call upon everybody to help in this meritorious protest to join the Singapore SDP in their forthcoming Consumer Rights Day protest on March 15, and March 16, 2008 in Singapore. Please be in Singapore on both the days and join Dr. Chee in the protest.
For Malaysians, it is best not to travel in groups or in chartered buses but please come singly and separately. At the border posts, please do not state that you are coming to stage a protest. In this way, it is unlikely that you would be denied entry.
In this international world of today, the suffering of Malaysians are also those of Singaporeans and vice versa. It is, as the saying goes "One world". Please let us stand by each other and against dictators wherever they may be.
For full details, kindly consult the Singapore Democratic Party.
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
Caveat: Please note that I have neither the consent from the Singapore Democratic Party of Singapore nor the authority to call upon supporters to give support to this. However as a private citizen and a free man, I have the right to say what I want and to do what I want, which includes this.
Objective: This is a call for protesters in Malaysia including Hindraf, Indonesia, Burma, Australia and anywhere who are sympathetic to the cause of freedom in Singapore to join a proposed peaceful protest on either or both days, namely March 15, and/or March 16, 2008 which will hopefully be organized by the Singapore Democratic Party of Singapore to commemorate World Consumer Rights Day which is March 15, 2008 by holding a peaceful protest either in front of Singapore Parliament House and/ or at Merchant Loop, Liang Court Orchard Road Singapore on the said days. As for the time of protests including further details, please contact the Singapore Democratic Party website http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/ or Google Singapore Democrat
Background: Singapore is a dictatorship that does not allow freedom of speech or expression. Although the Singapore Constitution expressly guarantees freedom of speech and assembly, a statue which expressly violates this constitutional provision is in place which requires any assembly of 5 or more persons to require a government permit. If an assembly is held without the necessary permit, the protesters are arrested, summarily tried convicted and sentenced to jail terms. Even if anyone applied for this permit, the government will automatically deny such permits. In fact during the last 40 years, not a single permit has ever been granted to any opposition political party! In effect the situation is this. There is no right to assemble despite the constitutional guarantee and if you protested you will be punished!
Against this background, the government routinely grants permits to the ruling party to do whatever they want. In fact it is doubtful whether they even have to apply for one. It may be sufficient for them to tell any police officer that they are PAP members to anything they want.
As far as the Consumer Rights Day, on March 15, 2006, the ruling party, the PAP held a peaceful protest through their state sponsored organization The Consumers Association, in front of the Singapore Parliament House of over 100 placard holding protesters. The photographs of these PAP protesters was proudly displayed in the website of the Consumers Association of Singapore. I have read that those pictures have been since removed by the Lee Kuan Yew's PAP party and the Consumer Association of Singapore but they can still be viewed in the blog of the Singapore Democratic Party.
Dr. Chee Soon Juan of the Singapore Democratic Party, an opposition party, had applied to the Singapore police according to law to hold a similar peaceful protest for the forthcoming Consumer rights Day , March 15, 2008 but as was expected of this disgraced government, they had denied the request.
The correspondence between Dr. Chee and the Singapore Government on this total travesty of justice appears in the Singapore Democratic Party Blog.
As can be seen the refusal to grant the SDP this permit when they not only had allowed the Consumers Association a permit last year and furthermore have granted them a permit to hold one this year on March 16, 2008 at Liang Court Orchard Road to be held from 7 to 11 am, shows a determination to deny the opposition any equal opportunity whatsoever but not only that, they are flouting that fact!
It is expected that the government will be able to persuade several people to join them in their protest, not because anyone has any real fondness for them, but because, like opportunists anywhere in the world, there are those who would be prepared to compromise their principles for possible advantage.
In these circumstances, it must be very important for those who cherish freedom, liberty and democracy not to allow the government to get away with this abuse of citizens rights. And one way to show the government this is for the Singapore Democratic Party to defy the government and to hold peaceful protests not only in numbers larger than 5 but in fact in hundreds or even thousands. This authoritarian government has to be resisted and disobeyed.
Although I am not entirely certain, I am almost sure that that Dr. Chee of the Singapore Democratic Party is intending to hold peaceful protests on either March 15 or March 16, 2008 or even on both days to mark World Consumer Rights Day in defiance of the government without permits.
As you may be already aware by now, Singaporeans live under great fear of the Singapore government and many may not have the courage to turn out en mass. However unlike Singaporeans, I have seen Malaysians, Indonesians, Burmese, Australians and others who will not take no for an answer when justice is on their side. So I ask courageous Malaysians including Hindraf for whom the SDP had shown their support, including Malay and Chinese associations; I call upon the courageous Indonesians who have all along stood up to justice for their fellow citizens; I call upon the Thais and the Australians and the Burmese and New Zealanders; I call upon everybody to help in this meritorious protest to join the Singapore SDP in their forthcoming Consumer Rights Day protest on March 15, and March 16, 2008 in Singapore. Please be in Singapore on both the days and join Dr. Chee in the protest.
For Malaysians, it is best not to travel in groups or in chartered buses but please come singly and separately. At the border posts, please do not state that you are coming to stage a protest. In this way, it is unlikely that you would be denied entry.
In this international world of today, the suffering of Malaysians are also those of Singaporeans and vice versa. It is, as the saying goes "One world". Please let us stand by each other and against dictators wherever they may be.
For full details, kindly consult the Singapore Democratic Party.
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
Saturday, February 23, 2008
An excellent question from Edwin Soh which requires a full answer.
Hello
Sat 2/23/2008 1:45 AM
Mr. Gopalan Nair
I have read your blog webpage, singaporedissident.blogspot.com, and it provided me with some intriguing views on our government. From our history textbooks and media, MM Lee Kuan Yew has been portrayed as a wise man who knows whats best for Singapore, and there is certainly no denying MM Lee Kuan Yew's contributions to Singapore, making Singapore a modern and global city it is today.
But what I wish to ask you is this, if Singapore would do to go through a normal political process where political parties battle it out on a even playing field, instead of the PAP-dominated political elections it is today, would that Singapore be as or more successful than the present-day Singapore?
Your sincerely,
Edwin
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Above I have posted an excellent question raised by Edwin Soh which was Emailed to me; a question that deserves a blog post by itself.
This is the perennial question asked over and over again during the last 40 years of Singapore's history. Could Singapore have achieved the success you see; (that is, if you consider Singapore a success in the first place); without Lee Kuan Yew and his authoritarian government?
As for me, there can only be one answer. Singapore has not achieved any success at all under Lee Kuan Yew. Just because Lee has turned Singapore into a concrete and glass jungle instead of the original natural green one; is not success at all.
In fact Lee has seriously damaged the country, its civil society, its civil institutions and turned Singaporeans into a mindless bunch of sheep unable to think for themselves. Lee has permanently destroyed the ability of Singapore to achieve greatness.
So in answer to Edwin Soh, firstly Singapore is not a "modern and global city" as he claims; it could have been a much greater, more respected, more human place had it not been for the dictator Lee Kuan Yew.
What does Mr. Soh mean by a modern global city? Is it is the skyscrapers at the waterfront in downtown Singapore? If it is, those modern skyscrapers were built by a handful of government connected companies which houses numerous headquarters of foreign companies. The profits from the sale and leases of these modern buildings are pocketed by Lee Kuan Yew, his family members and supporters; a very small portion of Singapore’s population. As for the tenants of these modern buildings, they are all foreigners representing their foreign companies.
As for the ordinary Singaporean, there is nothing for him to benefit from those skyscrapers, be they modern or global. As for the regular Singapore Joe Bloke, it makes no difference whether the buildings were there or not, international or otherwise; since he does not benefit by their presence in any way. To the average Ah Kow, Ahmad or Samy, they are nothing more than white elephants.
Mr. Soh also calls it an international city? Is it really international? Yes, Singapore Airlines flies all over the world giving employment to half starved (because they are so skinny) air hostesses who are paid $3,000.00 or so a year. But they travel the world because they serve food to passengers on board aircraft, no more than waitresses in the sky? As for pilots, most of them are Malaysians anyway and they just fly planes. Singapore Airlines does not make Singapore a global or international city?
As for international trading, all of it is done by a handful of government connected companies with the blessing of Lee Kuan Yew, in the situation of "You scratch my back and I scratch yours"; similar to the situation in Burma where a handful of companies connected with the military junta trade internationally. The rest of the Burmese or Singapore populations have nothing international about them. They may have gone to Bangkok for a holiday but that does not make them international.
Let me now come to the crux of it. The high rise buildings that you see at Raffles Place do not make Singapore an international city. The average Singaporean is a hawker selling mee goreng or laksa at Boon Keng Food Court. The rest of them are civil servants dutifully doing whatever Lee Kuan Yew wants them to do and quietly going home. They have no knowledge of history, no literature, no interest in politics. They are nothing more than automatons. Not the type you normally find in an international city.
What Lee has done over 4o years is this. By instilling fear in everyone, he has managed to build up this concrete jungle at downtown Singapore and invited foreign companies to have their South East Asia headquarters in them; because Singapore has good infra structure, good telephones, transport and cleanliness, not forgetting an unquestioning and compliant workforce. In past years he was able to invite foreign manufacturing but since labor costs have gone up, all these jobs have gone to Indonesia.
In fact what Lee Kuan Yew has done is to destroy Singapore. Singapore with no natural resources has only its people to rely upon, whose minds Lee has permanently destroyed. He has turned ordinary thinking people into robots, a people who are only able to carry out orders but unable to think independently. And he has managed to do this through fear and greed. In fact he has turned an entire section of the population into a population from suffering political schizophrenia, from split personality.
You must have heard of Judge Belinda Ang's shameful judicial judgment in the case of Lee Kuan Yew vs. Dr. Chee Soon Juan in a recent defamation of character action where she found Dr. Chee guilty of defaming Lee merely for what he had written in his political newspaper, the Singapore Democrat, criticizing the government on their handling of the National Kidney Foundation's corrupt activities; in the run up to the 2006 national elections.
Everyone including Judge Belinda Ang herself, knows that there was nothing defamatory about Dr. Chee's article; nothing more than the exercise of free speech guaranteed under the constitution.
But yet this judge finds it necessary to please Lee Kuan Yew by distorting and abusing the law to find Lee's political opponent, Dr. Chee, guilty. She does this because she is required to do it; otherwise she will lose her job. What is more, by abusing the law to please her master Lee, she is amply rewarded by bribes of several million dollars. So it is convenient for her to abuse the law. So she does it.
But outwardly, if confronted with an explanation, she would swear on her grandmother's grave that she is as upright, honest and principled as the statue of Stamford Raffles itself; that stands on Singapore Square!
In other words she leads a double life. Outwardly pleasing her master Lee Kuan Yew by destroying Dr. Chee through the law; but privately knowing that she is doing nothing more than prostituting her profession, her calling and her oath of office as a judge! Shame on her.
But is not only Judge Belinda Ang that suffers from this political schizophrenia, this shameful double life, this lack of integrity. Lee Kuan Yew has managed to turn the entire civil service, the entire judiciary, almost the entire population into living this shameful double life. One life for the outside where it is all praise for Lee and his modern Singapore. The other privately for himself, kicking himself in shame; as he has to stoop so low to make a living in Singapore.
Other than these masses that live such desperate lives, such as that of this disgraced judge, Belinda Ang, there are those others who are educated with skills and talents; who are not prepared to live such disgraceful lives at any cost.
It is this large section of the population that form the Singapore Diaspora; hundreds and thousands of Singaporeans who just cannot stand the sight of Lee Kuan Yew and his minions. They have packed up and left for Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK and Sweden. It is these who are the best and most talented of Singaporeans. And unlike the likes of Judge Belinda Ang who will say or do anything for the right price, what I mean is unprincipled souls; the Singaporeans who leave are the upright educated human beings with principles, with honor, with pride; who refuse to dance whenever Lee demands it.
And by the destruction of the minds of Singaporeans who have chosen to remain and driving out the best and most able from Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew has not modernized Singapore, he has destroyed it. Those remaining in Singapore, the likes of Judge Belinda Ang, who is prepared to say that 2 and 2 make 5 anytime; are not the kind of people that can advance a country to greatness. The best have already left the country for good.
And the loss of educated capable Singaporeans is especially damaging to a small country like Singapore with only 3 million people; as the huge numbers of Singaporeans leaving Singapore is disproportionately damaging.
We are seeing hundreds of thousands of capable Singaporeans leaving a small island with a small population of 3 million. The damage that Lee is doing to Singapore by forcing such large numbers out; is debilitating to the very existence of the country.
So to the question, could Singapore have done better without Lee, I would say, of course. At least any other leader would not caused incurable damage to the minds of ordinary Singaporeans like Lee has done.
Second, Lee Kuan Yew has given a bad name to the country internationally. And the bad name means loss of investment opportunities, loss of trade opportunities and loss of prestige.
Take Australia for instance. The mention of Australia is synonymous with the rule of law, honest government, an independent judiciary, human rights, a free press, and freedom of speech and expression. With these perceived qualities, foreigners are prepared to settle in the country, invest in it, trade in it and have children in it.
Singapore on the other hand is known internationally as a place that hangs petty drug mules; beats prisoners with a stick in their backsides until they become bloody, sometimes causing death; where judges like Judge Belinda Ang will happily abuse the law to eliminate Lee Kuan Yew's opponents; where there is no rule of law at all; where there are no civil liberties at all; and where all newspapers are owned and controlled by the government as in North Korea.
This bad name that Singapore has, makes it uncompetitive. Foreigners have no respect for Singapore or its leaders whom they consider a bunch of bullies. Unlike respected countries like Australia, this means a lack of competitiveness; a lack of investments; a lack of trade and the world calling it nothing more than an Alice in Wonderland with the death penalty.
So Mr. Edwin Soh, this is what I respectfully say. Lee was and is bad for Singapore. And what is worse, he is 85 years old and is going to die. And when he dies his son will have an even harder time to keep the place going since we all know that he is nothing more than a fixture, placed there by Lee, his father.
And Lee's major failure is his inability to ensure a strong civil society with strong organs of government. Today in Singapore there are none. Everyone and everything takes the cue from Lee senior, through fear. And when he dies there will be a vacuum, disorder and uncertainty just as is the case when all other dictatorships fall.
As for the office units in the concrete jungle in the waterfront, they too will become empty when the world finally realizes to what extent Singapore has sunk under Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.
Thank you Mr. Edwin Soh.
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
Sat 2/23/2008 1:45 AM
Mr. Gopalan Nair
I have read your blog webpage, singaporedissident.blogspot.com, and it provided me with some intriguing views on our government. From our history textbooks and media, MM Lee Kuan Yew has been portrayed as a wise man who knows whats best for Singapore, and there is certainly no denying MM Lee Kuan Yew's contributions to Singapore, making Singapore a modern and global city it is today.
But what I wish to ask you is this, if Singapore would do to go through a normal political process where political parties battle it out on a even playing field, instead of the PAP-dominated political elections it is today, would that Singapore be as or more successful than the present-day Singapore?
Your sincerely,
Edwin
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Above I have posted an excellent question raised by Edwin Soh which was Emailed to me; a question that deserves a blog post by itself.
This is the perennial question asked over and over again during the last 40 years of Singapore's history. Could Singapore have achieved the success you see; (that is, if you consider Singapore a success in the first place); without Lee Kuan Yew and his authoritarian government?
As for me, there can only be one answer. Singapore has not achieved any success at all under Lee Kuan Yew. Just because Lee has turned Singapore into a concrete and glass jungle instead of the original natural green one; is not success at all.
In fact Lee has seriously damaged the country, its civil society, its civil institutions and turned Singaporeans into a mindless bunch of sheep unable to think for themselves. Lee has permanently destroyed the ability of Singapore to achieve greatness.
So in answer to Edwin Soh, firstly Singapore is not a "modern and global city" as he claims; it could have been a much greater, more respected, more human place had it not been for the dictator Lee Kuan Yew.
What does Mr. Soh mean by a modern global city? Is it is the skyscrapers at the waterfront in downtown Singapore? If it is, those modern skyscrapers were built by a handful of government connected companies which houses numerous headquarters of foreign companies. The profits from the sale and leases of these modern buildings are pocketed by Lee Kuan Yew, his family members and supporters; a very small portion of Singapore’s population. As for the tenants of these modern buildings, they are all foreigners representing their foreign companies.
As for the ordinary Singaporean, there is nothing for him to benefit from those skyscrapers, be they modern or global. As for the regular Singapore Joe Bloke, it makes no difference whether the buildings were there or not, international or otherwise; since he does not benefit by their presence in any way. To the average Ah Kow, Ahmad or Samy, they are nothing more than white elephants.
Mr. Soh also calls it an international city? Is it really international? Yes, Singapore Airlines flies all over the world giving employment to half starved (because they are so skinny) air hostesses who are paid $3,000.00 or so a year. But they travel the world because they serve food to passengers on board aircraft, no more than waitresses in the sky? As for pilots, most of them are Malaysians anyway and they just fly planes. Singapore Airlines does not make Singapore a global or international city?
As for international trading, all of it is done by a handful of government connected companies with the blessing of Lee Kuan Yew, in the situation of "You scratch my back and I scratch yours"; similar to the situation in Burma where a handful of companies connected with the military junta trade internationally. The rest of the Burmese or Singapore populations have nothing international about them. They may have gone to Bangkok for a holiday but that does not make them international.
Let me now come to the crux of it. The high rise buildings that you see at Raffles Place do not make Singapore an international city. The average Singaporean is a hawker selling mee goreng or laksa at Boon Keng Food Court. The rest of them are civil servants dutifully doing whatever Lee Kuan Yew wants them to do and quietly going home. They have no knowledge of history, no literature, no interest in politics. They are nothing more than automatons. Not the type you normally find in an international city.
What Lee has done over 4o years is this. By instilling fear in everyone, he has managed to build up this concrete jungle at downtown Singapore and invited foreign companies to have their South East Asia headquarters in them; because Singapore has good infra structure, good telephones, transport and cleanliness, not forgetting an unquestioning and compliant workforce. In past years he was able to invite foreign manufacturing but since labor costs have gone up, all these jobs have gone to Indonesia.
In fact what Lee Kuan Yew has done is to destroy Singapore. Singapore with no natural resources has only its people to rely upon, whose minds Lee has permanently destroyed. He has turned ordinary thinking people into robots, a people who are only able to carry out orders but unable to think independently. And he has managed to do this through fear and greed. In fact he has turned an entire section of the population into a population from suffering political schizophrenia, from split personality.
You must have heard of Judge Belinda Ang's shameful judicial judgment in the case of Lee Kuan Yew vs. Dr. Chee Soon Juan in a recent defamation of character action where she found Dr. Chee guilty of defaming Lee merely for what he had written in his political newspaper, the Singapore Democrat, criticizing the government on their handling of the National Kidney Foundation's corrupt activities; in the run up to the 2006 national elections.
Everyone including Judge Belinda Ang herself, knows that there was nothing defamatory about Dr. Chee's article; nothing more than the exercise of free speech guaranteed under the constitution.
But yet this judge finds it necessary to please Lee Kuan Yew by distorting and abusing the law to find Lee's political opponent, Dr. Chee, guilty. She does this because she is required to do it; otherwise she will lose her job. What is more, by abusing the law to please her master Lee, she is amply rewarded by bribes of several million dollars. So it is convenient for her to abuse the law. So she does it.
But outwardly, if confronted with an explanation, she would swear on her grandmother's grave that she is as upright, honest and principled as the statue of Stamford Raffles itself; that stands on Singapore Square!
In other words she leads a double life. Outwardly pleasing her master Lee Kuan Yew by destroying Dr. Chee through the law; but privately knowing that she is doing nothing more than prostituting her profession, her calling and her oath of office as a judge! Shame on her.
But is not only Judge Belinda Ang that suffers from this political schizophrenia, this shameful double life, this lack of integrity. Lee Kuan Yew has managed to turn the entire civil service, the entire judiciary, almost the entire population into living this shameful double life. One life for the outside where it is all praise for Lee and his modern Singapore. The other privately for himself, kicking himself in shame; as he has to stoop so low to make a living in Singapore.
Other than these masses that live such desperate lives, such as that of this disgraced judge, Belinda Ang, there are those others who are educated with skills and talents; who are not prepared to live such disgraceful lives at any cost.
It is this large section of the population that form the Singapore Diaspora; hundreds and thousands of Singaporeans who just cannot stand the sight of Lee Kuan Yew and his minions. They have packed up and left for Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK and Sweden. It is these who are the best and most talented of Singaporeans. And unlike the likes of Judge Belinda Ang who will say or do anything for the right price, what I mean is unprincipled souls; the Singaporeans who leave are the upright educated human beings with principles, with honor, with pride; who refuse to dance whenever Lee demands it.
And by the destruction of the minds of Singaporeans who have chosen to remain and driving out the best and most able from Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew has not modernized Singapore, he has destroyed it. Those remaining in Singapore, the likes of Judge Belinda Ang, who is prepared to say that 2 and 2 make 5 anytime; are not the kind of people that can advance a country to greatness. The best have already left the country for good.
And the loss of educated capable Singaporeans is especially damaging to a small country like Singapore with only 3 million people; as the huge numbers of Singaporeans leaving Singapore is disproportionately damaging.
We are seeing hundreds of thousands of capable Singaporeans leaving a small island with a small population of 3 million. The damage that Lee is doing to Singapore by forcing such large numbers out; is debilitating to the very existence of the country.
So to the question, could Singapore have done better without Lee, I would say, of course. At least any other leader would not caused incurable damage to the minds of ordinary Singaporeans like Lee has done.
Second, Lee Kuan Yew has given a bad name to the country internationally. And the bad name means loss of investment opportunities, loss of trade opportunities and loss of prestige.
Take Australia for instance. The mention of Australia is synonymous with the rule of law, honest government, an independent judiciary, human rights, a free press, and freedom of speech and expression. With these perceived qualities, foreigners are prepared to settle in the country, invest in it, trade in it and have children in it.
Singapore on the other hand is known internationally as a place that hangs petty drug mules; beats prisoners with a stick in their backsides until they become bloody, sometimes causing death; where judges like Judge Belinda Ang will happily abuse the law to eliminate Lee Kuan Yew's opponents; where there is no rule of law at all; where there are no civil liberties at all; and where all newspapers are owned and controlled by the government as in North Korea.
This bad name that Singapore has, makes it uncompetitive. Foreigners have no respect for Singapore or its leaders whom they consider a bunch of bullies. Unlike respected countries like Australia, this means a lack of competitiveness; a lack of investments; a lack of trade and the world calling it nothing more than an Alice in Wonderland with the death penalty.
So Mr. Edwin Soh, this is what I respectfully say. Lee was and is bad for Singapore. And what is worse, he is 85 years old and is going to die. And when he dies his son will have an even harder time to keep the place going since we all know that he is nothing more than a fixture, placed there by Lee, his father.
And Lee's major failure is his inability to ensure a strong civil society with strong organs of government. Today in Singapore there are none. Everyone and everything takes the cue from Lee senior, through fear. And when he dies there will be a vacuum, disorder and uncertainty just as is the case when all other dictatorships fall.
As for the office units in the concrete jungle in the waterfront, they too will become empty when the world finally realizes to what extent Singapore has sunk under Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.
Thank you Mr. Edwin Soh.
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
Friday, February 22, 2008
Singapore laws. Itself a travesty of justice.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Singapore's state owned and controlled newspaper the Straits Times, just as all the other news media in Singapore which are all completely owned and controlled by the Singapore government, reports in it's Feb 21, 2007 story, "Court of Appeal dismisses alleged drug lord's plea against detention", a case where a suspected drug runner continues to be held in detention, since 2005, without any trial.
If you find this an outrageous denial of justice, wait till you hear that they are for suspected crimes not even committed within Singapore!
This is the sort of "justice" that goes on in Lee Kuan Yew's self professed first world country! We always thought that this sort of thing only happened in places such as Dafur!
Singapore permits detention without trial under the Criminal Law Temporary Provisions Act, which by the way is not "temporary" at all; where the government feels the Defendant is guilty of criminal offenses, but is unable to produce any witnesses; yet the interests of public safety required their imprisonment.
This was a law originally enacted in the 1950s, when Chinese criminal gangs were rampant; intended to keep these criminal gangsters in jail where it is difficult to obtain convictions against them in court; because of intimidation and threats made against any witnesses.
Since witnesses were afraid to testify against apprehended gangsters at trial, it meant that they invariably went off scot free. To prevent this happening, the government gave themselves powers to detain them 2 years at a time, for an indefinite time, merely on the statements of police officers.
Although one could possibly make a colorable argument both for and against such as law that goes against the very principle of common law jurisprudence; on the one hand that no one should be detained without a free fair and open trial; and on the other hand that since you cannot have a free and fair open trial when you are unable to secure any witnesses out of fear and intimidation, incarceration is justified; in this reported case, there is no justification whatsoever for the defendant to suffer imprisonment. No justification whatsoever.
The Defendant Edmund Wong Sin Wee, aged 49, a former lawyer, was accused of being a drug kingpin from early 2004 to April 2005. During this period he was accused of being responsible for movement of narcotic drugs from Malaysia to Taiwan and from Malaysia to Communist China through Hong Kong. From these facts any lawyer will see that Singapore has not a single good reason to imprison this man.
First, the offense was not committed in Singapore. Any first year law student will tell you that Singapore has jurisdiction only for offenses committed within its jurisdiction.
If the offense was committed within the jurisdiction of Malaysia, then only Malaysia has the right to try and punish the offender.
It is true that there are instances where Singapore has the right to try offenses committed abroad, but such right only arises through international treaties and agreements, one instance being that a high jacking on board Singapore registered aircraft can be punished in Singapore even if the offense was committed over Italian airspace; the reasoning being that the aircraft is Singapore registered, therefore Singapore law applies; even though over Italian airspace. This right accrues through international agreements.
Second the very spirit and intent of this law, Criminal Law Temporary Provisions Act is defeated in this case. The days of Chinese gangs such as the Ang Soon Thong are gone. Today, if the government has the evidence, it can produce the witnesses.
Furthermore, since you have trial by judge alone, what problem is there for the government to conduct a trial and instruct the judges to return guilty verdicts; since they do it all the time anyway? We know this sad fact through government judges such as Belinda Ang, who will return a verdict of guilt against Dr. Chee Juan for defamation of character in favor of Lee Kuan Yew without even a trial, within 5 minutes from her private office without even hearing Dr. Chee!
Singapore justice has been compromised anyway. What is the difficulty of compromising it yet again in this case?
And the lawyer for Edmund Wong, undoubtedly a courageous fellow for taking up the argument for Edmund Wong; which means that his future at the Singapore bar may not last much longer; having done the unthinkable of challenging the very basis of Lee Kuan Yew's laws; he had made another excellent argument that Singapore’s public safety will not be threatened in any way by releasing him since all the alleged acts were done outside Singapore. This argument is a compelling one for his release; since the sine qua non of this law requires a threat to Singapore’s safety.
Indeed what is more troubling in this case is the impression that both the local and international public may have on the legal system of Singapore and how it may affect the public confidence in it! Here we have a situation which offends every bit of what anyone would expect of rule of law.
Firstly the government incarcerates a man without trial. Second, it is for something which was not even committed within Singapore. And thirdly, it is not a case where the government cannot obtain a conviction if it wants to, since with Singapore’s political judges such as Belinda Ang, it is possible to obtain a judgment in Singapore declaring that the Moon was made of cheese!
In the light of the Singapore government giving short shrift to the rule of law, should one therefore be surprised to know that foreign financial organizations are increasingly becoming alarmed about the security of their financial dealings with Singapore; that Singapore Bar has the largest number of lawyers running away with their clients money anywhere in the world; that the Singapore legal profession in a country with more than 4 million is only 3,400; that lawyers, cooks and musicians, are all emigrating to Australia and Singapore is progressively becoming the number one pariah in the region.
No surprise at all. This is not only a country without laws; it is a country that does not mind the public knowing it.
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's state owned and controlled newspaper the Straits Times, just as all the other news media in Singapore which are all completely owned and controlled by the Singapore government, reports in it's Feb 21, 2007 story, "Court of Appeal dismisses alleged drug lord's plea against detention", a case where a suspected drug runner continues to be held in detention, since 2005, without any trial.
If you find this an outrageous denial of justice, wait till you hear that they are for suspected crimes not even committed within Singapore!
This is the sort of "justice" that goes on in Lee Kuan Yew's self professed first world country! We always thought that this sort of thing only happened in places such as Dafur!
Singapore permits detention without trial under the Criminal Law Temporary Provisions Act, which by the way is not "temporary" at all; where the government feels the Defendant is guilty of criminal offenses, but is unable to produce any witnesses; yet the interests of public safety required their imprisonment.
This was a law originally enacted in the 1950s, when Chinese criminal gangs were rampant; intended to keep these criminal gangsters in jail where it is difficult to obtain convictions against them in court; because of intimidation and threats made against any witnesses.
Since witnesses were afraid to testify against apprehended gangsters at trial, it meant that they invariably went off scot free. To prevent this happening, the government gave themselves powers to detain them 2 years at a time, for an indefinite time, merely on the statements of police officers.
Although one could possibly make a colorable argument both for and against such as law that goes against the very principle of common law jurisprudence; on the one hand that no one should be detained without a free fair and open trial; and on the other hand that since you cannot have a free and fair open trial when you are unable to secure any witnesses out of fear and intimidation, incarceration is justified; in this reported case, there is no justification whatsoever for the defendant to suffer imprisonment. No justification whatsoever.
The Defendant Edmund Wong Sin Wee, aged 49, a former lawyer, was accused of being a drug kingpin from early 2004 to April 2005. During this period he was accused of being responsible for movement of narcotic drugs from Malaysia to Taiwan and from Malaysia to Communist China through Hong Kong. From these facts any lawyer will see that Singapore has not a single good reason to imprison this man.
First, the offense was not committed in Singapore. Any first year law student will tell you that Singapore has jurisdiction only for offenses committed within its jurisdiction.
If the offense was committed within the jurisdiction of Malaysia, then only Malaysia has the right to try and punish the offender.
It is true that there are instances where Singapore has the right to try offenses committed abroad, but such right only arises through international treaties and agreements, one instance being that a high jacking on board Singapore registered aircraft can be punished in Singapore even if the offense was committed over Italian airspace; the reasoning being that the aircraft is Singapore registered, therefore Singapore law applies; even though over Italian airspace. This right accrues through international agreements.
Second the very spirit and intent of this law, Criminal Law Temporary Provisions Act is defeated in this case. The days of Chinese gangs such as the Ang Soon Thong are gone. Today, if the government has the evidence, it can produce the witnesses.
Furthermore, since you have trial by judge alone, what problem is there for the government to conduct a trial and instruct the judges to return guilty verdicts; since they do it all the time anyway? We know this sad fact through government judges such as Belinda Ang, who will return a verdict of guilt against Dr. Chee Juan for defamation of character in favor of Lee Kuan Yew without even a trial, within 5 minutes from her private office without even hearing Dr. Chee!
Singapore justice has been compromised anyway. What is the difficulty of compromising it yet again in this case?
And the lawyer for Edmund Wong, undoubtedly a courageous fellow for taking up the argument for Edmund Wong; which means that his future at the Singapore bar may not last much longer; having done the unthinkable of challenging the very basis of Lee Kuan Yew's laws; he had made another excellent argument that Singapore’s public safety will not be threatened in any way by releasing him since all the alleged acts were done outside Singapore. This argument is a compelling one for his release; since the sine qua non of this law requires a threat to Singapore’s safety.
Indeed what is more troubling in this case is the impression that both the local and international public may have on the legal system of Singapore and how it may affect the public confidence in it! Here we have a situation which offends every bit of what anyone would expect of rule of law.
Firstly the government incarcerates a man without trial. Second, it is for something which was not even committed within Singapore. And thirdly, it is not a case where the government cannot obtain a conviction if it wants to, since with Singapore’s political judges such as Belinda Ang, it is possible to obtain a judgment in Singapore declaring that the Moon was made of cheese!
In the light of the Singapore government giving short shrift to the rule of law, should one therefore be surprised to know that foreign financial organizations are increasingly becoming alarmed about the security of their financial dealings with Singapore; that Singapore Bar has the largest number of lawyers running away with their clients money anywhere in the world; that the Singapore legal profession in a country with more than 4 million is only 3,400; that lawyers, cooks and musicians, are all emigrating to Australia and Singapore is progressively becoming the number one pariah in the region.
No surprise at all. This is not only a country without laws; it is a country that does not mind the public knowing it.
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
Letter from Paul Lee
The following is a letter from a reader Paul Lee,
Hi Gopalan Nair.
I really enjoy reading your articles.Your articles give us some light or else we will still be kept in the dark.I do agree with you on most articles, but certain articles i do have my own vision.But overall, i enjoy and agree with your articles.Hopefully, you can post more of it in your blog and share with us what the PAP don't really want us to know.Singapore can do it without the Lee's.But without your articles, the Lee's will be laughing their way to their Swiss bank.So, do post more of it and we will continue to support you.Thanks and have a nice day!
Paul Lee
Hi Gopalan Nair.
I really enjoy reading your articles.Your articles give us some light or else we will still be kept in the dark.I do agree with you on most articles, but certain articles i do have my own vision.But overall, i enjoy and agree with your articles.Hopefully, you can post more of it in your blog and share with us what the PAP don't really want us to know.Singapore can do it without the Lee's.But without your articles, the Lee's will be laughing their way to their Swiss bank.So, do post more of it and we will continue to support you.Thanks and have a nice day!
Paul Lee
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Australia adds visas for skilled workers! Will the brain drain get even worse for Singapore?
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Singapore state owned and controlled newspaper, the Straits Times, just as all the other news media being equally owned and controlled by the state has a story on Feb 18, 2008 headed "Australia adds visas for skilled workers".
Is this not going to exasperate the already dire skilled manpower situation in Singapore when Singapore is presently losing its qualified people permanently emigrating to the west at intolerably high levels?
According to this report, Australia is going to add another 6,000 skilled worker visas every year increasing the total to 108,500. With Australia already being the main destination for several thousands of Singaporean migrants, this additional increase in work visas can only mean even more Singaporeans leaving.
And the people leaving would be the very ones that Singapore needs most; aircraft technicians from Singapore airlines, cargo handlers, aircraft checkers, air traffic marshals and other aviation staff; which means a heavy loss to Singapore Airlines, a leader in the skies.
And these workers being lost are the very type that Singapore needs the most, highly skilled and experienced staff often irreplaceable at any price, with their training and vast experience.
The same with the merchant marine and the marine industry. Container men, container traffic specialists, crane operators of all sorts, skilled welders and mechanics, diesel mechanics, all sorts of highly skilled people are being lost every day from Singapore heading to Australia; badly affecting the Singapore shipping trade.
Not just in aviation and shipping. All the other trades, skilled air-conditioning technicians, motor mechanics, diesel mechanics, and skilled workers in every possible trade you can think of, all making a bee line to the Australian High Commission filling out papers and standing in line for the first Singapore Airlines or Qantas flight to Sydney?
The brain drain from Singapore has reached such incredibly high levels that an Australian in Brisbane was reported to have asked someone inquiring whether there was a revolution or some other catastrophe in Singapore that is causing such high levels of flight from the country!
And mind you, all this emigration at such high levels is from a small country, Singapore, 16 miles north to south and 26 miles east to west with a population no more than 3 million and shrinking. What is more, Singaporeans are at the same time, refusing to have any babies to such an extent that the population is unable to replace itself. The situation had become so grave and if no action was taken, there will only be the trishaw riders and hawkers left in Singapore.
So in order to remedy this intolerable situation in labor shortage, the government finds itself helpless other than to bring in hundreds of thousands of people from Communist China, some from India and the Philippines and Burma to somehow replace the loss. But the question is whether such immigrants from these countries are qualified and skilled as those Singaporeans who have left and as we speak leaving? The answer has to be a resounding "no".
No matter what one says of Singaporeans, one cannot deny that they are one of the most skilled qualified and disciplined workers anywhere in the world. And what is more, they have an excellent knowledge of English making them the most sought after among immigrants in any part of the world. Singaporeans themselves have shown how good they are succeeding in their careers and businesses anywhere and capable of competing with anyone.
I am myself a living example. Educated in Singapore and in England, I not only passed the English Bar Exams, the Singapore Bar and the California Bar which is reputed to be the most difficult among the Bar Examinations throughout the United States. Not only that I practice law in the local courts and compete with Americans and people from anywhere in the world who happens to be here. Why, because I have had an excellent education in Singapore and that makes me able to compete and survive in any part of this planet. California benefits from my education which I received in Singapore just as the thousands of Singaporeans benefit Australia from the education they received in Singapore. The net loser in this equation is Singapore.
Has the Singapore government ever asked why Singaporeans are so eager to escape from Singapore?
I have no in depth knowledge of Australia but I understand the general conditions there. In Australia human beings are treated as humans. If you unemployed, the government permits you to survive with human dignity, with reasonable assistance for you and your children until you find something else. Not like in Singapore where thy throw $200.00 at you and some rice and cooking oil expecting you to somehow fend for yourself. In such undignified inhumane circumstances, the children of poor people in Singapore lose their self respect, their hopes and aspirations and eventually turn out no better than their destitute parents. In Singapore being poor is a sin and and shameful; in Australia being poor is just a temporary setback from which everyone expects you to come back, full steam ahead and kicking.
In Australia, children are allowed to be children, which means they can play, something which children are expected to do. In Singapore, children, the moment they are born are turned into adults, with time tables, appointments, school assignments, tuition classes, music classes, language classes so much so that they are constantly looking at their calendars for their next appointment!
This sort of life creates a robot with only one motivation and drive, the drive to do better, to make more money, to say the right things, to speak correct political speech, to please the master and to survive as best you can; preferably not being seen or heard; because in Singapore if you stand out like a nail, you will be hammered in to conform to society. In Australia on the other hand, you are welcome to be anyone you want; and you can think you are the Pope and no will care two hoots.
In Australia there are retirement pensions, state funded medical care and other social programs where people can live everyday as human beings knowing that there is the rule of law, and their rights will be protected. In Singapore you have a Lee Kuan Yew who thinks he knows everything and will send anyone to jail who thinks otherwise.
Even though I grew up in Singapore I was lucky to have a father who was way ahead of the Singapore government in thinking. As a boy I was told I could achieve anything I wanted. And being a 6 year old boy, I really believed it. All that was required was the desire to want it, my father said. The achievement itself will automatically follow. And this philosophy stayed with me throughout my life. I always believed that I could achieve anything that I want. My father used to say that fear only holds one back. That there was no need to fear and if it is the oceans you want to cross, then cross it without hesitation.
And it is this kind of courage that was instilled in me, that every Australian or New Zealand father instills in their boys. That is why Edmund Hilary, the bee keeper and mountaineer, champion of Mount Everest, is a New Zealander; that is why Peter Snell, the 800 meters Olympic champion is a New Zealander; that is why hundreds of Tour de France cyclists are New Zealanders; that is why New Zealand won the yacht race America cup; that is why New Zealanders are the best world yachtsmen. And the All Blacks the best rugby team in the world are New Zealanders.
Why, because in New Zealand, boys grow up as boys, they fight, they play and they enjoy an adventure. And mind you, New Zealand has a population of 3 million too, just like Singapore. Not like the Singapore 10 year old boy who has to look at his calendar for the next tuition class; who will fall swoon and die bending over backwards if you just gave him a slap!
Singapore parents are aware of how Australia and New Zealand is, just as I am. So they prefer their children to grow up as children in Australia and New Zealand and they leave Singapore, where Lee Kuan Yew struts around like a prize rooster, beating up on anyone who even utters a whimper of complaint.
So I don’t expect the manpower problems in Singapore to get any better. It will only get progressively worse. Worse because the new entrants to fill the jobs left by Singaporeans, the immigrants from Communist China, India and the Philippines have neither the English, nor the skills or the experience of Singaporeans who left.
And as long as Lee Kuan Yew thinks he knows best and continues to run the country in the present tyrannically hopeless manner, Singapore can only continue to decline even further meaning even more Singaporeans will begin packing and leaving.
This unfortunately is the bitter truth.
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 state owned and controlled newspaper, the Straits Times, just as all the other news media being equally owned and controlled by the state has a story on Feb 18, 2008 headed "Australia adds visas for skilled workers".
Is this not going to exasperate the already dire skilled manpower situation in Singapore when Singapore is presently losing its qualified people permanently emigrating to the west at intolerably high levels?
According to this report, Australia is going to add another 6,000 skilled worker visas every year increasing the total to 108,500. With Australia already being the main destination for several thousands of Singaporean migrants, this additional increase in work visas can only mean even more Singaporeans leaving.
And the people leaving would be the very ones that Singapore needs most; aircraft technicians from Singapore airlines, cargo handlers, aircraft checkers, air traffic marshals and other aviation staff; which means a heavy loss to Singapore Airlines, a leader in the skies.
And these workers being lost are the very type that Singapore needs the most, highly skilled and experienced staff often irreplaceable at any price, with their training and vast experience.
The same with the merchant marine and the marine industry. Container men, container traffic specialists, crane operators of all sorts, skilled welders and mechanics, diesel mechanics, all sorts of highly skilled people are being lost every day from Singapore heading to Australia; badly affecting the Singapore shipping trade.
Not just in aviation and shipping. All the other trades, skilled air-conditioning technicians, motor mechanics, diesel mechanics, and skilled workers in every possible trade you can think of, all making a bee line to the Australian High Commission filling out papers and standing in line for the first Singapore Airlines or Qantas flight to Sydney?
The brain drain from Singapore has reached such incredibly high levels that an Australian in Brisbane was reported to have asked someone inquiring whether there was a revolution or some other catastrophe in Singapore that is causing such high levels of flight from the country!
And mind you, all this emigration at such high levels is from a small country, Singapore, 16 miles north to south and 26 miles east to west with a population no more than 3 million and shrinking. What is more, Singaporeans are at the same time, refusing to have any babies to such an extent that the population is unable to replace itself. The situation had become so grave and if no action was taken, there will only be the trishaw riders and hawkers left in Singapore.
So in order to remedy this intolerable situation in labor shortage, the government finds itself helpless other than to bring in hundreds of thousands of people from Communist China, some from India and the Philippines and Burma to somehow replace the loss. But the question is whether such immigrants from these countries are qualified and skilled as those Singaporeans who have left and as we speak leaving? The answer has to be a resounding "no".
No matter what one says of Singaporeans, one cannot deny that they are one of the most skilled qualified and disciplined workers anywhere in the world. And what is more, they have an excellent knowledge of English making them the most sought after among immigrants in any part of the world. Singaporeans themselves have shown how good they are succeeding in their careers and businesses anywhere and capable of competing with anyone.
I am myself a living example. Educated in Singapore and in England, I not only passed the English Bar Exams, the Singapore Bar and the California Bar which is reputed to be the most difficult among the Bar Examinations throughout the United States. Not only that I practice law in the local courts and compete with Americans and people from anywhere in the world who happens to be here. Why, because I have had an excellent education in Singapore and that makes me able to compete and survive in any part of this planet. California benefits from my education which I received in Singapore just as the thousands of Singaporeans benefit Australia from the education they received in Singapore. The net loser in this equation is Singapore.
Has the Singapore government ever asked why Singaporeans are so eager to escape from Singapore?
I have no in depth knowledge of Australia but I understand the general conditions there. In Australia human beings are treated as humans. If you unemployed, the government permits you to survive with human dignity, with reasonable assistance for you and your children until you find something else. Not like in Singapore where thy throw $200.00 at you and some rice and cooking oil expecting you to somehow fend for yourself. In such undignified inhumane circumstances, the children of poor people in Singapore lose their self respect, their hopes and aspirations and eventually turn out no better than their destitute parents. In Singapore being poor is a sin and and shameful; in Australia being poor is just a temporary setback from which everyone expects you to come back, full steam ahead and kicking.
In Australia, children are allowed to be children, which means they can play, something which children are expected to do. In Singapore, children, the moment they are born are turned into adults, with time tables, appointments, school assignments, tuition classes, music classes, language classes so much so that they are constantly looking at their calendars for their next appointment!
This sort of life creates a robot with only one motivation and drive, the drive to do better, to make more money, to say the right things, to speak correct political speech, to please the master and to survive as best you can; preferably not being seen or heard; because in Singapore if you stand out like a nail, you will be hammered in to conform to society. In Australia on the other hand, you are welcome to be anyone you want; and you can think you are the Pope and no will care two hoots.
In Australia there are retirement pensions, state funded medical care and other social programs where people can live everyday as human beings knowing that there is the rule of law, and their rights will be protected. In Singapore you have a Lee Kuan Yew who thinks he knows everything and will send anyone to jail who thinks otherwise.
Even though I grew up in Singapore I was lucky to have a father who was way ahead of the Singapore government in thinking. As a boy I was told I could achieve anything I wanted. And being a 6 year old boy, I really believed it. All that was required was the desire to want it, my father said. The achievement itself will automatically follow. And this philosophy stayed with me throughout my life. I always believed that I could achieve anything that I want. My father used to say that fear only holds one back. That there was no need to fear and if it is the oceans you want to cross, then cross it without hesitation.
And it is this kind of courage that was instilled in me, that every Australian or New Zealand father instills in their boys. That is why Edmund Hilary, the bee keeper and mountaineer, champion of Mount Everest, is a New Zealander; that is why Peter Snell, the 800 meters Olympic champion is a New Zealander; that is why hundreds of Tour de France cyclists are New Zealanders; that is why New Zealand won the yacht race America cup; that is why New Zealanders are the best world yachtsmen. And the All Blacks the best rugby team in the world are New Zealanders.
Why, because in New Zealand, boys grow up as boys, they fight, they play and they enjoy an adventure. And mind you, New Zealand has a population of 3 million too, just like Singapore. Not like the Singapore 10 year old boy who has to look at his calendar for the next tuition class; who will fall swoon and die bending over backwards if you just gave him a slap!
Singapore parents are aware of how Australia and New Zealand is, just as I am. So they prefer their children to grow up as children in Australia and New Zealand and they leave Singapore, where Lee Kuan Yew struts around like a prize rooster, beating up on anyone who even utters a whimper of complaint.
So I don’t expect the manpower problems in Singapore to get any better. It will only get progressively worse. Worse because the new entrants to fill the jobs left by Singaporeans, the immigrants from Communist China, India and the Philippines have neither the English, nor the skills or the experience of Singaporeans who left.
And as long as Lee Kuan Yew thinks he knows best and continues to run the country in the present tyrannically hopeless manner, Singapore can only continue to decline even further meaning even more Singaporeans will begin packing and leaving.
This unfortunately is the bitter truth.
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
Monday, February 18, 2008
Singapore's desperation to get couples to marry and procreate.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The state owned and controlled Singapore newspaper; just as in North Korea where all media is state owned and controlled like in Singapore; Channel News Asia has an article on Feb 17, 2008 which reads "Singapore holds first speed dating event on the MRT".
It tells about the government’s efforts to get more people to marry and have children. One of Singapore's major problems is its low birth rate, so low that births cannot even replace those dying, and were it not for the government permitting hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Communist China, India and other places, the population by now would have seriously declined.
This article refers to the latest of a series of attempts to encourage more births, which have all failed so far; this time advertising for both men and women to line up facing each other in train stations hoping that they will instantly fall in love and procreate soon thereafter! A sign of desperation on the part of the Singapore government, don't you think?
The article speaks of a low miserable figure of 52 men and women having turned up at the train station for a chance at matrimony on a train; in response to the government's advertisements throughout the island! A miserably low number of 52 men and women!
Jeraldine Toh, a Bank Relationship Manager; is reported to have said that she was very excited because it was the first time that matrimony was attempted on a speedy train. I can sympathize with her, and tell her that it is not her fault for not being able to marry. It is the fault of this tyrannical government and their unpopular policies which has created a sense of fear and insecurity among Singaporeans preventing them from wanting children.
Michael Wee a technician like Jerldine Toh also thought it was a good idea because he feels people have insufficient time in Singapore to meet the opposite sex.
Lee Kuan Yew's minister who is paid as a salary 5 times what the president of the United States George Bush is paid, being $3.7 million a year, Mr. S Iswaran, was the matrimonial “how to woo and romance” instructor for the day. He was on duty at the Boon Lay MRT Train station and was reported to have given "a little encouragement and dating tips" but what actually this meant or to what detail the instruction was; was not explained in the news article. Also, as to what qualifications he had for this romantic instructor position was also not explained. Was he a successful womanizer in the past or another Rodolfo Valentino? Such questions remained unanswered!
The report states that only singles between 20 and 40 years of age were permitted to engage in this activity of a labor of love, so sympathies and commiserations to those above 40, both men and women who may be capable in more ways than one, in such activity. Surly age discrimination here, don't you think?
The romantic aspirants were give very little time, only about 6 minutes, or the equivalent of 2 stations of travel time, when they forced to go on the next person, so as the largest number can meet and make a judgment on their life long partners! Very little time indeed to decide on such an important issue!
Ms Toh, another woman marriage aspirant who took part, complained that despite many people there (54 hardly appears many) and despite her meeting all of them, she still could not find a friend.
I must say, reading this news shows a country in utter desperation. Willing to do almost anything to remedy a situation which has become hopeless. The government, instead of trying these desperate attempts at increasing the population of Singapore should first ask itself why it finds itself in this position anyway.
The reason for people not wanting to marry and have children is the appalling political situation in Singapore. Where people are afraid of the government. Where there is no job security. Where jobs are given to foreigners and Singaporeans retrenched. Where there is no social security or social welfare. Where if you lose your job, you are given $200.00 a bag of rice and asked to fend for yourself. Where you can succeed only if you tow the government line and join Lee Kuan Yew's political party and parrot whatever he says. Where there is no rule of law and no human rights. Where there is no free press and free debate on ideas. Where children are deprived of their childhood being overworked with no chance to play. In other words, Singapore is a dictatorship where Lee and his family rule with some very silly policies and where criticism is not tolerated at all. So they do not want to have children in Singapore. Many want to immigrate to Australia and leave Singapore for good. In Australia I believe they will have children. Many children.
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 state owned and controlled Singapore newspaper; just as in North Korea where all media is state owned and controlled like in Singapore; Channel News Asia has an article on Feb 17, 2008 which reads "Singapore holds first speed dating event on the MRT".
It tells about the government’s efforts to get more people to marry and have children. One of Singapore's major problems is its low birth rate, so low that births cannot even replace those dying, and were it not for the government permitting hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Communist China, India and other places, the population by now would have seriously declined.
This article refers to the latest of a series of attempts to encourage more births, which have all failed so far; this time advertising for both men and women to line up facing each other in train stations hoping that they will instantly fall in love and procreate soon thereafter! A sign of desperation on the part of the Singapore government, don't you think?
The article speaks of a low miserable figure of 52 men and women having turned up at the train station for a chance at matrimony on a train; in response to the government's advertisements throughout the island! A miserably low number of 52 men and women!
Jeraldine Toh, a Bank Relationship Manager; is reported to have said that she was very excited because it was the first time that matrimony was attempted on a speedy train. I can sympathize with her, and tell her that it is not her fault for not being able to marry. It is the fault of this tyrannical government and their unpopular policies which has created a sense of fear and insecurity among Singaporeans preventing them from wanting children.
Michael Wee a technician like Jerldine Toh also thought it was a good idea because he feels people have insufficient time in Singapore to meet the opposite sex.
Lee Kuan Yew's minister who is paid as a salary 5 times what the president of the United States George Bush is paid, being $3.7 million a year, Mr. S Iswaran, was the matrimonial “how to woo and romance” instructor for the day. He was on duty at the Boon Lay MRT Train station and was reported to have given "a little encouragement and dating tips" but what actually this meant or to what detail the instruction was; was not explained in the news article. Also, as to what qualifications he had for this romantic instructor position was also not explained. Was he a successful womanizer in the past or another Rodolfo Valentino? Such questions remained unanswered!
The report states that only singles between 20 and 40 years of age were permitted to engage in this activity of a labor of love, so sympathies and commiserations to those above 40, both men and women who may be capable in more ways than one, in such activity. Surly age discrimination here, don't you think?
The romantic aspirants were give very little time, only about 6 minutes, or the equivalent of 2 stations of travel time, when they forced to go on the next person, so as the largest number can meet and make a judgment on their life long partners! Very little time indeed to decide on such an important issue!
Ms Toh, another woman marriage aspirant who took part, complained that despite many people there (54 hardly appears many) and despite her meeting all of them, she still could not find a friend.
I must say, reading this news shows a country in utter desperation. Willing to do almost anything to remedy a situation which has become hopeless. The government, instead of trying these desperate attempts at increasing the population of Singapore should first ask itself why it finds itself in this position anyway.
The reason for people not wanting to marry and have children is the appalling political situation in Singapore. Where people are afraid of the government. Where there is no job security. Where jobs are given to foreigners and Singaporeans retrenched. Where there is no social security or social welfare. Where if you lose your job, you are given $200.00 a bag of rice and asked to fend for yourself. Where you can succeed only if you tow the government line and join Lee Kuan Yew's political party and parrot whatever he says. Where there is no rule of law and no human rights. Where there is no free press and free debate on ideas. Where children are deprived of their childhood being overworked with no chance to play. In other words, Singapore is a dictatorship where Lee and his family rule with some very silly policies and where criticism is not tolerated at all. So they do not want to have children in Singapore. Many want to immigrate to Australia and leave Singapore for good. In Australia I believe they will have children. Many children.
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
Saturday, February 16, 2008
In a country like Singapore where the entire news media is both owned and controlled by the government, what do you believe and not believe?
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In Singapore where all news media both print, radio and TV is not only owned but entirely controlled by Singapore Government under Lee Kuan Yew's orders, what does one believe and not believe?
Singapore Newspapers and Printing Presses Act mandates by law that all news media within Singapore to be approved by the government. If not, they face a fine and jail sentence.
Foreign news establishments sell their news in Singapore but at a price. The government places all sorts of conditions on them, such as requiring them to deposit with the government a security bond in the sum of several hundreds of thousands of US dollars; which will be forfeited in the event it is found to have criticized Singapore.
No criticism of the government is permitted. Presently the Hong Kong newspaper Far Eastern Economic Review is banned by law in Singapore; the possession of the newspaper within Singapore renders the person fined and imprisoned at the notorious Changi Prison where prisoners are routinely beaten (caned) and executed by hanging!
I understand this offence does not carry the brutal punishment of being beaten with a stick; in the naked buttocks; which is routinely administered to those committing other types of offenses; resulting the said buttocks being turned into a tangled mess of blood and bloodied broken flesh, and the prisoner becoming unconscious and sometimes dies, as a result of the beating!
This is the infamous punishment of caning, a legalized form of brutality for which Singapore; this so called first world country; has become world famous; Singapore, a place of death and unimaginable state sanctioned brutality!
The question being posed is this. In a country such as Singapore where the entire local news media is both controlled and owned by the government, and where foreign news organizations have little or no access to local news; or the need to report on local Singapore affairs, reading the censored local press, what is one to believe or not believe.
We know for instance there is a massive brain drain out of Singapore, as a result of educated Singaporeans not wanting to continue living in a dictatorship; which makes the situation gravely serious, given the small population of the country; just 3 million. Is the legal service in Singapore, for instance, able to function with this huge on going attrition in loss of manpower, resulting from the resignations and lack of new entrants?
On this issue of the on going brain drain of educated Singaporeans to Australia, Canada and the USA, is the Singapore Civil Service able to continue in a satisfactory manner without the necessary manpower due to massive resignations?
Are the Communists from China who are being encouraged to replace the educated departing Singaporeans, able to carry out their work satisfactorily, given their inability at English and total lack of understanding of Singaporean affairs? Do the Indians from India commissioned to these jobs fare any better since they too suffer from the same disadvantages?
Is there any point in continuing to provide a high level of modern education to Singapore children since they will all soon after leave Singapore for Australia anyway, thereby benefiting Australia with their skills? What is the point of providing highly qualified labor to Australia at Singapore’s expense?
Since the problem of emigration is insurmountable and hopeless, should not emigration be made illegal and turn Singapore into fortress like former East Berlin, and punish anyone trying to escape by beatings and hanging at Singapore’s notorious jail as a deterrent to prevent more escapes? Or would such action turn out to be counter productive resulting in not less but more attempts to escape from Singapore’s island paradise?
With the lack of sufficient children being born in Singapore, not even at the replacement level, is the Singapore military being sufficiently staffed and if so are they using Communists from China for this purpose? If the are indeed using Communists from China, is not the security of not only Singapore but the entire region being threatened by the infiltration of hard core Communists into the armed forces of Singapore?
Since Singaporeans have been told that they will not be paid any retirement until they die or become 85 years old, whichever comes later, is this because the Singapore Central Provident Fund has run out of money and is the altruism put forward by the government merely an attempt to hide the bitter truth; being the bankruptcy of the CPF?
Has the computer disk drive industry in Singapore finally died a natural death resulting from high labor costs and how many thousands of Malay Indian and Chinese housewives in assembly line jobs been retrenched?
What is the honest rate of unemployment and by the way, suicides being a related issue, how many take their own lives in Singapore due to poverty misery and hopelessness?
Has it now become time after all for either Lee Kuan Yew or his son whom he placed as Prime Minister to give the famous Churchill speech: “I have nothing to offer but blood toil tears and sweat?"
Is the situation indeed very bad and has the time come for Singaporeans able to manage it to abandon ship, that is to take their money and run to Australia before it is too late?
With these huge imports of Communists in Singapore, I understand up to a million if not more, should the philosophy and doctrine be changed to comport with Communism so as not to confuse both the Chinese communists in our midst or Singaporeans?
With the present political system of one party PAP rule, what need is there for Parliamentary debates or Members of Parliament. Would not the government function even better if we left all decisions to Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and his son assisted by their millionaire cabinet ministers without the need for wasteful parliamentary debates?
Is the Singapore government becoming bankrupt and is there hope for any future for Singaporeans, Chinese Communists in Singapore, and Indians from India, local Indians and local Malays.
As the Singapore media has been silent on why the government does not permit Malays from Malaysia to immigrate to Singapore, what is the reason for this discrimination against the Malays? Why are Indians from India preferred over Malays? After all were not the Malays present in Singapore even before Chinese Admiral Cheng Ho ever stepping foot in the island?
These are questions which we will never know because we do not have a free press in Singapore. Many would think, even rightly, that this is the time to pack your suitcases for Sydney Australia. After all, you do not want to wait till the country files for bankruptcy, at which time it will be too late.
Make hay while the sun shines, or as a Singaporean may say, eat Char Kuey Teow or Mama (not to be confused with the Chinese Peidu Mama) Mee Goreng while you can.
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
In Singapore where all news media both print, radio and TV is not only owned but entirely controlled by Singapore Government under Lee Kuan Yew's orders, what does one believe and not believe?
Singapore Newspapers and Printing Presses Act mandates by law that all news media within Singapore to be approved by the government. If not, they face a fine and jail sentence.
Foreign news establishments sell their news in Singapore but at a price. The government places all sorts of conditions on them, such as requiring them to deposit with the government a security bond in the sum of several hundreds of thousands of US dollars; which will be forfeited in the event it is found to have criticized Singapore.
No criticism of the government is permitted. Presently the Hong Kong newspaper Far Eastern Economic Review is banned by law in Singapore; the possession of the newspaper within Singapore renders the person fined and imprisoned at the notorious Changi Prison where prisoners are routinely beaten (caned) and executed by hanging!
I understand this offence does not carry the brutal punishment of being beaten with a stick; in the naked buttocks; which is routinely administered to those committing other types of offenses; resulting the said buttocks being turned into a tangled mess of blood and bloodied broken flesh, and the prisoner becoming unconscious and sometimes dies, as a result of the beating!
This is the infamous punishment of caning, a legalized form of brutality for which Singapore; this so called first world country; has become world famous; Singapore, a place of death and unimaginable state sanctioned brutality!
The question being posed is this. In a country such as Singapore where the entire local news media is both controlled and owned by the government, and where foreign news organizations have little or no access to local news; or the need to report on local Singapore affairs, reading the censored local press, what is one to believe or not believe.
We know for instance there is a massive brain drain out of Singapore, as a result of educated Singaporeans not wanting to continue living in a dictatorship; which makes the situation gravely serious, given the small population of the country; just 3 million. Is the legal service in Singapore, for instance, able to function with this huge on going attrition in loss of manpower, resulting from the resignations and lack of new entrants?
On this issue of the on going brain drain of educated Singaporeans to Australia, Canada and the USA, is the Singapore Civil Service able to continue in a satisfactory manner without the necessary manpower due to massive resignations?
Are the Communists from China who are being encouraged to replace the educated departing Singaporeans, able to carry out their work satisfactorily, given their inability at English and total lack of understanding of Singaporean affairs? Do the Indians from India commissioned to these jobs fare any better since they too suffer from the same disadvantages?
Is there any point in continuing to provide a high level of modern education to Singapore children since they will all soon after leave Singapore for Australia anyway, thereby benefiting Australia with their skills? What is the point of providing highly qualified labor to Australia at Singapore’s expense?
Since the problem of emigration is insurmountable and hopeless, should not emigration be made illegal and turn Singapore into fortress like former East Berlin, and punish anyone trying to escape by beatings and hanging at Singapore’s notorious jail as a deterrent to prevent more escapes? Or would such action turn out to be counter productive resulting in not less but more attempts to escape from Singapore’s island paradise?
With the lack of sufficient children being born in Singapore, not even at the replacement level, is the Singapore military being sufficiently staffed and if so are they using Communists from China for this purpose? If the are indeed using Communists from China, is not the security of not only Singapore but the entire region being threatened by the infiltration of hard core Communists into the armed forces of Singapore?
Since Singaporeans have been told that they will not be paid any retirement until they die or become 85 years old, whichever comes later, is this because the Singapore Central Provident Fund has run out of money and is the altruism put forward by the government merely an attempt to hide the bitter truth; being the bankruptcy of the CPF?
Has the computer disk drive industry in Singapore finally died a natural death resulting from high labor costs and how many thousands of Malay Indian and Chinese housewives in assembly line jobs been retrenched?
What is the honest rate of unemployment and by the way, suicides being a related issue, how many take their own lives in Singapore due to poverty misery and hopelessness?
Has it now become time after all for either Lee Kuan Yew or his son whom he placed as Prime Minister to give the famous Churchill speech: “I have nothing to offer but blood toil tears and sweat?"
Is the situation indeed very bad and has the time come for Singaporeans able to manage it to abandon ship, that is to take their money and run to Australia before it is too late?
With these huge imports of Communists in Singapore, I understand up to a million if not more, should the philosophy and doctrine be changed to comport with Communism so as not to confuse both the Chinese communists in our midst or Singaporeans?
With the present political system of one party PAP rule, what need is there for Parliamentary debates or Members of Parliament. Would not the government function even better if we left all decisions to Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and his son assisted by their millionaire cabinet ministers without the need for wasteful parliamentary debates?
Is the Singapore government becoming bankrupt and is there hope for any future for Singaporeans, Chinese Communists in Singapore, and Indians from India, local Indians and local Malays.
As the Singapore media has been silent on why the government does not permit Malays from Malaysia to immigrate to Singapore, what is the reason for this discrimination against the Malays? Why are Indians from India preferred over Malays? After all were not the Malays present in Singapore even before Chinese Admiral Cheng Ho ever stepping foot in the island?
These are questions which we will never know because we do not have a free press in Singapore. Many would think, even rightly, that this is the time to pack your suitcases for Sydney Australia. After all, you do not want to wait till the country files for bankruptcy, at which time it will be too late.
Make hay while the sun shines, or as a Singaporean may say, eat Char Kuey Teow or Mama (not to be confused with the Chinese Peidu Mama) Mee Goreng while you can.
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
Friday, February 15, 2008
Dr. Lee Boon Yang's double talk in prohibiting protests in Singapore.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The state owned and controlled news media Channel News Asia of Feb 15, 2008 has an article "Foreigners should not organize, lead complaints about Singaporeans".
A short background. A few months ago, a Finnish based choir, the Complaints Choir, which goes around the world singing complaints in different countries applied to organize a function to sing in Singapore. The Singapore choir which is affiliated to the Finnish organization had many Singaporean as well as some foreigners. An application to sing in public by them was denied by Singapore government. As a result, they conducted a private singing function. The reason for refusal to grant the permit was that foreigners were in the choir; the argument being, foreigners are not permitted to criticize Singapore from within Singapore. Yet another logic defying drivel from a government which no longer cares whether it makes sense or not!
After the choir’s private performance, a Nominated Member of Parliament; which by the way is a totally illogical and unnecessary political position in this Alice in Wonderland; had asked in parliament why the Complaints Choir was refused permission to sing? The arguments of the government minister Dr. Lee Boon Yang are so warped and nonsensical; it has to be taken separately.
He says: Foreigners should not be encouraged to organize and lead Singaporeans in making complaints about the nation.
Does that then mean that the prohibition is only against encouraging foreigners? If foreigners decided themselves without any encouragement to make complaints against the nation, would that be permissible? In any case, under what provision of the law is this proscribed?
He says: Only Singaporeans can be involved in domestic politics.
If that is so, are foreign newspapers not permitted to comment on domestic politics, which they appear to do routinely, such as New Straits Times, Newsweek, Time and other foreign newspapers? Why are they permitted to do so? And sold in Singapore?
In fact, is it not true that Singaporeans are not permitted to engage in domestic politics unless they belong to the PAP? If they are permitted, why then are the opposition supporters denied permits to speak or assemble in public? Is such activity, not termed domestic politics?
He says: Letting foreigners lead Singaporeans to make complaints in public run contrary to established principles that comments for domestic affairs should be reserved for Singaporeans.
Is the prohibition only against letting foreigners leading Singaporeans in complaints? If they do not lead but follow Singaporeans in their complaints, would it be permissible? Why should comments on domestic affairs be reserved for Singaporeans only? Are not foreign academics in Singapore Universities allowed to criticize Singapore in education, or are they only permitted to praise and glorify it?
Have there not been foreign politicians invited to Singapore who have then criticized the appalling human rights record of Singapore? Is Singapore a closed society like North Korea where all criticism is illegal or are they an international city engaged in free exchange of ideas?
In any case, why has not a single permit to speak or assemble ever been granted to any Singaporean in the last 40 years to criticize his government? What is the point of reserving criticism for Singaporeans when they are never permitted to exercise it?
He says: Although Singapore had commented on Myanmar’s human rights abuses that was all right because it was in line with international sentiments.
How and when was this new rule introduced to allow criticism of other countries only provided it was in line with international sentiments?
Did not Lee Kuan Yew once call the residents of Johore Bahru, Malaysia a bunch of gangsters and muggers? Did he not on several occasions malign the ability and intellect of Malays in Malaysia? Were these insults to Malaysians because they were in line with international sentiments?
Dr. Lee Boon Yang, the Arts Minister should speak plain English for a change and not speak it in the Pickwikian sense. And what the Minster for the Arts is saying is simply that he will not permit criticism from anyone, friend or foe, Singaporeans or Hottentots, from criticizing his one party totalitarian government.
And this is what we should say to this Minister. No! No! No! We will not take this lying down. We will protest with or without your blessing. If it is a peaceful law abiding protest, assembly or speech, it is protected by the Singaporean constitution and we intend to do it.
That should be the message for Singapore’s Dr. Goebbels, Dr. Lee Boon Yang.
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 state owned and controlled news media Channel News Asia of Feb 15, 2008 has an article "Foreigners should not organize, lead complaints about Singaporeans".
A short background. A few months ago, a Finnish based choir, the Complaints Choir, which goes around the world singing complaints in different countries applied to organize a function to sing in Singapore. The Singapore choir which is affiliated to the Finnish organization had many Singaporean as well as some foreigners. An application to sing in public by them was denied by Singapore government. As a result, they conducted a private singing function. The reason for refusal to grant the permit was that foreigners were in the choir; the argument being, foreigners are not permitted to criticize Singapore from within Singapore. Yet another logic defying drivel from a government which no longer cares whether it makes sense or not!
After the choir’s private performance, a Nominated Member of Parliament; which by the way is a totally illogical and unnecessary political position in this Alice in Wonderland; had asked in parliament why the Complaints Choir was refused permission to sing? The arguments of the government minister Dr. Lee Boon Yang are so warped and nonsensical; it has to be taken separately.
He says: Foreigners should not be encouraged to organize and lead Singaporeans in making complaints about the nation.
Does that then mean that the prohibition is only against encouraging foreigners? If foreigners decided themselves without any encouragement to make complaints against the nation, would that be permissible? In any case, under what provision of the law is this proscribed?
He says: Only Singaporeans can be involved in domestic politics.
If that is so, are foreign newspapers not permitted to comment on domestic politics, which they appear to do routinely, such as New Straits Times, Newsweek, Time and other foreign newspapers? Why are they permitted to do so? And sold in Singapore?
In fact, is it not true that Singaporeans are not permitted to engage in domestic politics unless they belong to the PAP? If they are permitted, why then are the opposition supporters denied permits to speak or assemble in public? Is such activity, not termed domestic politics?
He says: Letting foreigners lead Singaporeans to make complaints in public run contrary to established principles that comments for domestic affairs should be reserved for Singaporeans.
Is the prohibition only against letting foreigners leading Singaporeans in complaints? If they do not lead but follow Singaporeans in their complaints, would it be permissible? Why should comments on domestic affairs be reserved for Singaporeans only? Are not foreign academics in Singapore Universities allowed to criticize Singapore in education, or are they only permitted to praise and glorify it?
Have there not been foreign politicians invited to Singapore who have then criticized the appalling human rights record of Singapore? Is Singapore a closed society like North Korea where all criticism is illegal or are they an international city engaged in free exchange of ideas?
In any case, why has not a single permit to speak or assemble ever been granted to any Singaporean in the last 40 years to criticize his government? What is the point of reserving criticism for Singaporeans when they are never permitted to exercise it?
He says: Although Singapore had commented on Myanmar’s human rights abuses that was all right because it was in line with international sentiments.
How and when was this new rule introduced to allow criticism of other countries only provided it was in line with international sentiments?
Did not Lee Kuan Yew once call the residents of Johore Bahru, Malaysia a bunch of gangsters and muggers? Did he not on several occasions malign the ability and intellect of Malays in Malaysia? Were these insults to Malaysians because they were in line with international sentiments?
Dr. Lee Boon Yang, the Arts Minister should speak plain English for a change and not speak it in the Pickwikian sense. And what the Minster for the Arts is saying is simply that he will not permit criticism from anyone, friend or foe, Singaporeans or Hottentots, from criticizing his one party totalitarian government.
And this is what we should say to this Minister. No! No! No! We will not take this lying down. We will protest with or without your blessing. If it is a peaceful law abiding protest, assembly or speech, it is protected by the Singaporean constitution and we intend to do it.
That should be the message for Singapore’s Dr. Goebbels, Dr. Lee Boon Yang.
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
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Lee Kuan Yew says, Singapore is losing about 1,000 capable people every year.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In the state owned and controlled newspaper, the Straits Times, with a picture of his looking very grim, in their report of Feb 14, 2008, Lee Kuan Yew, the dictator of the one party state of Singapore says " S'pore losing about 1,000 capable people every year".
For a small country of 3 million people, a loss of highly talented people at this rate and such numbers; emigrating to Western countries permanently; means nothing less than disaster for the island state.
I do not think Mr. Lee needs to be reminded of the reasons for educated Singaporeans wanting to flee the island, but let me do it anyway.
The primary reason is Lee Kuan Yew himself. Today Singaporeans look upon him as a thief who steals from his people no less than $3.7 million a year which he calls salary; five times more money than the President of the United States is paid.
This theft is perpetrated also by all his family members and his chosen ministers. This is bribery and corruption at unprecedented levels unknown in the world; sufficient even to exceed that of the criminal Suharto and Mobutu of the Congo who stole the country’s diamonds.
Singaporeans hate his arrogance. He goes around the world making speeches to heads of state and captains of industry who are unaware of the real tragedy that is Singapore; deceived into thinking that since it has such a fine waterfront resplendent with glass and crystal office towers; that Singapore is one great success and he is the one who has made it possible.
Little do they know that in Singapore almost 40 % of the people do not pay any income tax because their wages are too little? Little do they know that there is widespread poverty while only the top of society, well connected with the government enjoy unimaginable wealth?
Singaporeans see him as a cruel ruthless heartless unscrupulous person who eliminates his political opposition with not a single modicum of human decency. A totally ruthless unscrupulous person; that is how people see him. And they hate him. They look at him not as gentlemen, but more as gangster. Even some gangsters have some sense of decency about them. He has none.
Examples are of course what he does to people such as JB Jeyaretnam and Dr. Chee Soon Juan. He knows that these men have not broken any law whatsoever, not maligned him in any way whatsoever; but had just engaged in normal political activity.
But because he is unable and incapable of challenging them in a fair debate, he gets corrupted judges such as Judge Belinda Ang to award false judgments, crippling awards of hundreds of thousands of dollars against them; with the sole intent of bankrupting them so that they cannot contest elections as bankrupts; and has them bankrupted.
Not only that, as long as they continue in their political activity, he repeatedly strikes, attacks with repeated defamation actions, like a black mamba of the African plains, repeatedly attacking his victims using his corrupt judges such as Judge Belinda Ang as the snakes with the deadly venom.
And what do you think Singaporeans think of him after this? Nothing more than a plain and simple shameless bully.
And how do you think young capable educated Singaporeans look upon the vital institutions of the country itself, the judiciary, the civil service, the police force and the professions after he has dealt with them?
He, Lee Kuan Yew has managed to discredit each of these institutions resulting in their total loss of all credibility and respect. Singaporeans can plainly see corrupt judges, paid astronomically high salaries which is nothing less than corruption; routinely using the law to eliminate his opponents. They see the politicized civil service giving favors to Lee's friends and cronies and punishing non supporters.
Singaporeans can see now that the country has already been destroyed by this man. No self respecting honorable young man would want to be a lawyer in Singapore; since it is not ability but political connections that decide success and failure.
It is not possible to excel in the law by hard work, since there is no longer rule of law. The law is what pleases Lee Kuan Yew. It is the same in every other profession, all politicized, all neutralized; all brought under the heel of this demented power hungry tyrant.
It takes a very dishonest young man or woman to want to remain in Singapore and succeed in a professional career, because it means sucking up to this man and his policies no matter how repugnant to justice and fairness.
Of course, in any society you have those who will do anything for money, but these are few. Such men would stay behind, join his party and sing his tune, hoping that in the end the goodies will eventually come.
But thankfully, such dregs of society are few. The vast majority of upright men and women want to succeed by themselves under their own steam; without any need for Lee Kuan Yew. The vast majority want to experience life, not the sheltered quid pro quo of life that Lee Kuan Yew has to offer. Any young man with qualifications would want to see how good he is in the open world where people are judged by their abilities, not because they are card carrying members of Lee Kuan Yew's party.
Singapore is now seen today by Singaporeans as a country with an arrogant gangster at the top talking down to his subjects; bullying his political opponents and suing them using his corrupt judges such as Belinda Ang; a country which no longer has the rule of law; no respectable public institutions and which has become a laughing stock of the world.
A country that prohibits chewing gum penalizes pornography but allows prostitution. A country that hangs petty drug mules but metes out a lenient 10 year sentence for man who chopped up his wife with a meat cleaver in the public in Toa Payoh!
There are those, less fortunate without tertiary qualifications, unable to leave Singapore, even though they detest Lee Kuan Yew and his government. But why should an educated highly talented person remain in Singapore; when if he spoke his mind in criticism of Lee Kuan Yew; he will be sued for defamation of character with trumped up charges and bankrupted. There is no need for him to take such nonsense. He prefers to be free, so he leaves for the United States.
Lee Kuan Yew is fooling himself in thinking that Communist Chinese from China that he imports in large numbers and some Indians from India can replace those native born highly educated young Singaporeans who leave.
Young Singapore born and educated, young men and women are vastly superior to these imports from overseas.
Firstly foreigners who come have no idea of the history politics and social culture of the island. They are only able to do jobs that they are told without any background understanding of the country itself like native born Singaporeans.
Neither do they have the loyalty or roots in Singapore that native born Singaporeans have. Their culture and outlook to life are completely different from Singaporeans.
It would have made no difference to them had they gone to any other country other than Singapore.
These foreigners, lacking a true understanding of the country, will continue to erode the effectiveness of the administration, until after a time, with almost no Singaporean administrators at the top, Singapore will change completely to become another third world Philippines or another Peoples Republic of Communist China.
If Lee Kuan Yew is serious about the welfare of Singapore, then he should stop stealing $3.7 million from his people every year; stop filing defamation of character lawsuits against political opponents; replace Judge Belinda Ang with honest judges; reverse the judgments against Dr. Chee and JB Jeyaretnam and return their money illegally collected in defamation of character awards and allow Dr. Chee to speak freely.
If you do all this, Dr. Chee Soon Juan will perhaps become the Prime Minister and if that happens, educated Singaporeans from all over the world will return to help and work for the future of Singapore. When Singaporeans leave Singapore, it is not because they hate Singapore; it is because they hate Lee Kuan Yew.
If you allow educated Singaporeans to speak freely, to interact freely, to think and debate and discuss freely without the fear of defamation actions and bankruptcy, you will be surprised to see what educated Singaporeans can do for Singapore.
It is quite certain that with your arrogance and greed, you cannot allow Singapore to become a democracy.
As you are 85 years old, not only will you die soon, but your son whom you placed as Prime Minister will fail out of incompetence and Singapore will be seriously damaged.
Alas, this is the fate of countries when rulers become greedy, stubborn and unscrupulous all over the world and throughout history. But what is worse is that the fall will be all the more precipitous in a small country with only 3 million people, without natural resources, without sufficient land or without educated people. They are leaving at the rate of 1,000 per year and increasing by the day!
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
In the state owned and controlled newspaper, the Straits Times, with a picture of his looking very grim, in their report of Feb 14, 2008, Lee Kuan Yew, the dictator of the one party state of Singapore says " S'pore losing about 1,000 capable people every year".
For a small country of 3 million people, a loss of highly talented people at this rate and such numbers; emigrating to Western countries permanently; means nothing less than disaster for the island state.
I do not think Mr. Lee needs to be reminded of the reasons for educated Singaporeans wanting to flee the island, but let me do it anyway.
The primary reason is Lee Kuan Yew himself. Today Singaporeans look upon him as a thief who steals from his people no less than $3.7 million a year which he calls salary; five times more money than the President of the United States is paid.
This theft is perpetrated also by all his family members and his chosen ministers. This is bribery and corruption at unprecedented levels unknown in the world; sufficient even to exceed that of the criminal Suharto and Mobutu of the Congo who stole the country’s diamonds.
Singaporeans hate his arrogance. He goes around the world making speeches to heads of state and captains of industry who are unaware of the real tragedy that is Singapore; deceived into thinking that since it has such a fine waterfront resplendent with glass and crystal office towers; that Singapore is one great success and he is the one who has made it possible.
Little do they know that in Singapore almost 40 % of the people do not pay any income tax because their wages are too little? Little do they know that there is widespread poverty while only the top of society, well connected with the government enjoy unimaginable wealth?
Singaporeans see him as a cruel ruthless heartless unscrupulous person who eliminates his political opposition with not a single modicum of human decency. A totally ruthless unscrupulous person; that is how people see him. And they hate him. They look at him not as gentlemen, but more as gangster. Even some gangsters have some sense of decency about them. He has none.
Examples are of course what he does to people such as JB Jeyaretnam and Dr. Chee Soon Juan. He knows that these men have not broken any law whatsoever, not maligned him in any way whatsoever; but had just engaged in normal political activity.
But because he is unable and incapable of challenging them in a fair debate, he gets corrupted judges such as Judge Belinda Ang to award false judgments, crippling awards of hundreds of thousands of dollars against them; with the sole intent of bankrupting them so that they cannot contest elections as bankrupts; and has them bankrupted.
Not only that, as long as they continue in their political activity, he repeatedly strikes, attacks with repeated defamation actions, like a black mamba of the African plains, repeatedly attacking his victims using his corrupt judges such as Judge Belinda Ang as the snakes with the deadly venom.
And what do you think Singaporeans think of him after this? Nothing more than a plain and simple shameless bully.
And how do you think young capable educated Singaporeans look upon the vital institutions of the country itself, the judiciary, the civil service, the police force and the professions after he has dealt with them?
He, Lee Kuan Yew has managed to discredit each of these institutions resulting in their total loss of all credibility and respect. Singaporeans can plainly see corrupt judges, paid astronomically high salaries which is nothing less than corruption; routinely using the law to eliminate his opponents. They see the politicized civil service giving favors to Lee's friends and cronies and punishing non supporters.
Singaporeans can see now that the country has already been destroyed by this man. No self respecting honorable young man would want to be a lawyer in Singapore; since it is not ability but political connections that decide success and failure.
It is not possible to excel in the law by hard work, since there is no longer rule of law. The law is what pleases Lee Kuan Yew. It is the same in every other profession, all politicized, all neutralized; all brought under the heel of this demented power hungry tyrant.
It takes a very dishonest young man or woman to want to remain in Singapore and succeed in a professional career, because it means sucking up to this man and his policies no matter how repugnant to justice and fairness.
Of course, in any society you have those who will do anything for money, but these are few. Such men would stay behind, join his party and sing his tune, hoping that in the end the goodies will eventually come.
But thankfully, such dregs of society are few. The vast majority of upright men and women want to succeed by themselves under their own steam; without any need for Lee Kuan Yew. The vast majority want to experience life, not the sheltered quid pro quo of life that Lee Kuan Yew has to offer. Any young man with qualifications would want to see how good he is in the open world where people are judged by their abilities, not because they are card carrying members of Lee Kuan Yew's party.
Singapore is now seen today by Singaporeans as a country with an arrogant gangster at the top talking down to his subjects; bullying his political opponents and suing them using his corrupt judges such as Belinda Ang; a country which no longer has the rule of law; no respectable public institutions and which has become a laughing stock of the world.
A country that prohibits chewing gum penalizes pornography but allows prostitution. A country that hangs petty drug mules but metes out a lenient 10 year sentence for man who chopped up his wife with a meat cleaver in the public in Toa Payoh!
There are those, less fortunate without tertiary qualifications, unable to leave Singapore, even though they detest Lee Kuan Yew and his government. But why should an educated highly talented person remain in Singapore; when if he spoke his mind in criticism of Lee Kuan Yew; he will be sued for defamation of character with trumped up charges and bankrupted. There is no need for him to take such nonsense. He prefers to be free, so he leaves for the United States.
Lee Kuan Yew is fooling himself in thinking that Communist Chinese from China that he imports in large numbers and some Indians from India can replace those native born highly educated young Singaporeans who leave.
Young Singapore born and educated, young men and women are vastly superior to these imports from overseas.
Firstly foreigners who come have no idea of the history politics and social culture of the island. They are only able to do jobs that they are told without any background understanding of the country itself like native born Singaporeans.
Neither do they have the loyalty or roots in Singapore that native born Singaporeans have. Their culture and outlook to life are completely different from Singaporeans.
It would have made no difference to them had they gone to any other country other than Singapore.
These foreigners, lacking a true understanding of the country, will continue to erode the effectiveness of the administration, until after a time, with almost no Singaporean administrators at the top, Singapore will change completely to become another third world Philippines or another Peoples Republic of Communist China.
If Lee Kuan Yew is serious about the welfare of Singapore, then he should stop stealing $3.7 million from his people every year; stop filing defamation of character lawsuits against political opponents; replace Judge Belinda Ang with honest judges; reverse the judgments against Dr. Chee and JB Jeyaretnam and return their money illegally collected in defamation of character awards and allow Dr. Chee to speak freely.
If you do all this, Dr. Chee Soon Juan will perhaps become the Prime Minister and if that happens, educated Singaporeans from all over the world will return to help and work for the future of Singapore. When Singaporeans leave Singapore, it is not because they hate Singapore; it is because they hate Lee Kuan Yew.
If you allow educated Singaporeans to speak freely, to interact freely, to think and debate and discuss freely without the fear of defamation actions and bankruptcy, you will be surprised to see what educated Singaporeans can do for Singapore.
It is quite certain that with your arrogance and greed, you cannot allow Singapore to become a democracy.
As you are 85 years old, not only will you die soon, but your son whom you placed as Prime Minister will fail out of incompetence and Singapore will be seriously damaged.
Alas, this is the fate of countries when rulers become greedy, stubborn and unscrupulous all over the world and throughout history. But what is worse is that the fall will be all the more precipitous in a small country with only 3 million people, without natural resources, without sufficient land or without educated people. They are leaving at the rate of 1,000 per year and increasing by the day!
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
Monday, February 11, 2008
Singapore. The Chinese Communists among us.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Has anyone even for a moment considered the dangers not only to Singapore but to its immediate neighbors Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand and even beyond, United States and Europe; resulting from the huge numbers of Chinese Communists legally living and working in Singapore!
We all know, and it is common knowledge that Lee Kun Yew continues to permit several hundreds and thousands, of Chinese from Communist China so that the Chinese share of the Singapore population will me maintained at 75%. He does this even though there is no provision for racial prejudice and racial discrimination in the Singapore constitution. In other words Lee Kuan Yew engages in racial preference for the Chinese illegally in violation of the Singapore Constitution.
The population of Singapore today stands at 4.5 million. Of these almost 1 million are immigrants from Communist China, all of them Communists, since the People's Republic of China like Singapore is a one party state. The difference being, in China there is only one party, the Communist Party and every Communist Chinese citizen is a Communist.
So can you imagine the situation in Singapore? There are no less than about one million Chinese communists from the People's Republic of China wandering around the island of Singapore and going about their work. Can you imagine the seriousness of the situation! One million Chinese communists wandering around, working and living in Singapore!
I know what communist ideology is. It is more sinister than you think. The communist ideology or Marxism is intent on making not only Singapore, but the whole world the Utopia that Karl Marx envisioned in his Das Kapital. In spite of the collapse of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, Communism is very alive and kicking. And there can be no doubt that among these thoroughly indoctrinated and brainwashed one million of so card carrying Communists living and working in Singapore; many of them could be engaged in espionage counter intelligence terrorism and spying for Communist China.
So what are the ramifications? Singapore itself can be in serious trouble with large numbers of these Communists just going about their business with no checks on them whatsoever. They can infiltrate all organs of government, military and other sensitive areas of security. This infiltration by these card carrying communists in Singapore can mean a threat not only to Singapore but also to Malaysia, Indonesia and all the neighboring countries. They could easily for instance be obtaining intelligence on security matters to threaten the security of both Malaysia and Indonesia.
We are aware that the USA and Europe are very good friends with Singapore sharing military and security information. Are they not in danger of being infiltrated? Could not these one million or so Chinese Communists, officially get jobs in the defense industry in Singapore, obtain sensitive information and pass it on to the People's Republic of Communist China. Even today we hear that a number of Communist Chinese nationals were arrested in the USA trying to pass sensitive information to Communist China.
The Singapore government is playing with fire with legally permitting hundreds and thousands of these Chinese Communists safe passage to live and work in Singapore. It not only endangers the safety and security of Singaporeans; it endangers the safety and security of Malaysia Indonesia Thailand United States and Europe.
The American Ambassador in Singapore should look into this and consider whether it is safe? Safe to be living in the midst of one million card carrying Communist Chinese in Singapore. Is it safe?
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 anyone even for a moment considered the dangers not only to Singapore but to its immediate neighbors Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand and even beyond, United States and Europe; resulting from the huge numbers of Chinese Communists legally living and working in Singapore!
We all know, and it is common knowledge that Lee Kun Yew continues to permit several hundreds and thousands, of Chinese from Communist China so that the Chinese share of the Singapore population will me maintained at 75%. He does this even though there is no provision for racial prejudice and racial discrimination in the Singapore constitution. In other words Lee Kuan Yew engages in racial preference for the Chinese illegally in violation of the Singapore Constitution.
The population of Singapore today stands at 4.5 million. Of these almost 1 million are immigrants from Communist China, all of them Communists, since the People's Republic of China like Singapore is a one party state. The difference being, in China there is only one party, the Communist Party and every Communist Chinese citizen is a Communist.
So can you imagine the situation in Singapore? There are no less than about one million Chinese communists from the People's Republic of China wandering around the island of Singapore and going about their work. Can you imagine the seriousness of the situation! One million Chinese communists wandering around, working and living in Singapore!
I know what communist ideology is. It is more sinister than you think. The communist ideology or Marxism is intent on making not only Singapore, but the whole world the Utopia that Karl Marx envisioned in his Das Kapital. In spite of the collapse of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, Communism is very alive and kicking. And there can be no doubt that among these thoroughly indoctrinated and brainwashed one million of so card carrying Communists living and working in Singapore; many of them could be engaged in espionage counter intelligence terrorism and spying for Communist China.
So what are the ramifications? Singapore itself can be in serious trouble with large numbers of these Communists just going about their business with no checks on them whatsoever. They can infiltrate all organs of government, military and other sensitive areas of security. This infiltration by these card carrying communists in Singapore can mean a threat not only to Singapore but also to Malaysia, Indonesia and all the neighboring countries. They could easily for instance be obtaining intelligence on security matters to threaten the security of both Malaysia and Indonesia.
We are aware that the USA and Europe are very good friends with Singapore sharing military and security information. Are they not in danger of being infiltrated? Could not these one million or so Chinese Communists, officially get jobs in the defense industry in Singapore, obtain sensitive information and pass it on to the People's Republic of Communist China. Even today we hear that a number of Communist Chinese nationals were arrested in the USA trying to pass sensitive information to Communist China.
The Singapore government is playing with fire with legally permitting hundreds and thousands of these Chinese Communists safe passage to live and work in Singapore. It not only endangers the safety and security of Singaporeans; it endangers the safety and security of Malaysia Indonesia Thailand United States and Europe.
The American Ambassador in Singapore should look into this and consider whether it is safe? Safe to be living in the midst of one million card carrying Communist Chinese in Singapore. Is it safe?
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
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Singapore. One party totalitarian state and the idea of global international city are opposites and incompatible.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Singapore's state owned and controlled press daily reports Singapore being an international city whose main business is international banking, commerce, high end manufacturing and education. Singapore Airlines is one of the largest, if not the largest airline in the world covering almost every continent and every country. English is the main language of commerce and tourism is a major part of the GDP with tourists from all over the world visiting Singapore.
Against this backdrop, we have a press which is entirely owned and controlled by the government. Every news media, TV and Radio are all controlled by the government; the judiciary is entirely corrupt, in the sense, they are there to do the government's bidding, not necessarily to uphold the law; a police force that has been told to deny the citizens any means of expressing their views publicly, unless it is in praise of the government; a civil service which is entirely at the mercy of Lee Kuan Yew and his minions, and not for just and fair administration of laws; where each day people live not knowing what Mr. Lee will have in store for them tomorrow. In other words, a country without a constitution, without just and fair laws, without an impartial judiciary.
It so happens, for the moment, Lee Kuan Yew has managed to intimidate and subjugate through bribes, monetary favors and high salaries, the top echelons of the power; namely the judiciary and top civil servants to obey him whatever his demands. And by this loyalty to one man, Lee Kuan Yew through his various minions, has managed to run the country this long in an orderly manner. The question is, can it last.
It should be quite obvious, that the present existence of this one party totalitarian dictatorship is surviving on thin ice. It's very present existence is precarious. Precarious because, the loyalty that Lee presently has that enables the government to go on; is not because of his greatness either morally or legally.
The loyalty is simply earned through money, lots of money. Each minister of his is paid $3.7 million a year. The high court judges too are paid several millions a year for which they are prepared to bend the law any which way Lee wants. The top civil servants are paid several millions of dollars, in return for which they are prepared to interpret any statute and punish anyone that Lee wants punished. All these people have been bought with money. And for money they dance to Lee Kuan Yew's tune.
The true Singapore is the decadent corrupt one party state totalitarian Singapore. Of course Mr. Lee Kuan Yew does not want the world to know this. So for the last 40 years, he has managed to hoodwink the rest of the world into thinking that Singapore is a democracy, by the daily propaganda and lies put out by the Straits Times and other State Controlled media in Singapore. And to a large extent Lee Kuan Yew succeeded to prolong the lie because he controlled the news.
Question is can he continue to hoodwink the rest of the world into thinking it is a democracy? Has the cat escaped the bag after all? I think it has. And I think the days of this one party state as it is now, are numbered.
The global mass media, internet technology and telecommunication means today that no matter how much Lee Kuan Yew puts out lies and propaganda in his local press; he may be able to continue to fool some Singaporeans but more and more, the young are getting the news from elsewhere. Internationally Singapore’s reputation has been badly tarnished. The world has come to know that it is nothing more than a one party totalitarian state which beats its citizens with sticks (caning) and hangs petty drug moles. But what is worse is that it is now well known that Singapore does not have the rule of law.
The greatest damage being done now is the knowledge which the rest of the world knows being that Singapore lacks the rule of law. For the last 40 years the law has been blatantly and shamelessly used as a political tool to destroy political opponents though defamation of character lawsuits; where corrupt and pliant judges would award damages of a half million dollars bankrupting them and thereby preventing them from contesting elections.
Singapore's corrupt judiciary is an impediment to trade commerce and banking. International corporations would be averse to deal with Singapore in matters of trade when they know that their contracts may not be given impartial justice. This is one reason why Singapore being a commercial city but has only 3,400 lawyers in all, a figure far below what is needed in a commercial city such as this. Lawyers are leaving Singapore for good, not renewing their practicing certificates and there are no more new entrants to the law.
The attempt to make Singapore a center for learning has also failed understandably. How can one become learned if one has constantly to look over one's shoulder whether Lee has commenced a defamation lawsuit against you for what you said, academically or otherwise? Calling Singapore an educational center is a non sequitur, a non starter, an oxymoron. Let me put it this way. It is like calling it a flying pig.
Now to the question, will it last? I doubt it very much. For any organization to last, you need a foundation. A foundation of laws, or a foundation of truth or a foundation of virtue. In other words a foundation of something good. Singapore has no such foundation. The only reason why it exists at the moment is because Lee has corruptly managed to secure the loyalty of a few minions with mind boggling bribes and salaries.
Singapore has no foundation in law or legal basis. There is no law at all. The judges are corrupt. The law is bent and broken at will by Lee Kuan Yew.
It has no foundation in virtue. We see that Lee Kuan Yew is nothing more than a thief. Anyone who pays himself $3.7 million a year is a thief.
The situation therefore begs 2 questions. One, will these minions of his who are paid astronomical bribes in exchange for their loyalty continue to be loyal and what will happen in the near future and after he dies. Second, will they also continue to show the same loyalty to his son who has inherited his position; and will his son be able to pay each of them $3.7 million a year in bribes.
The answer to both the questions is in the negative. Any prudent Singaporeans with any amount of a stake in the country will realize that unless all his massive wealth is in foreign currency, his Singapore dollar will fall to even below the Zimbabwe dollar even if a few people decide that Singapore is no longer reliable and sound. The country is too small to withstand even a small outflow of the Singapore dollar. With the lack of respect that the rest of the world has in Singapore’s vital institutions, it cannot expect to continue to be a banking center, a trading center, an education center and so on. And when Lee Kuan Yew dies, the million dollar question is whether the minions presently at the top will continue to serve the son who has been placed there by Lee senior.
I think there is grave doubts whether people have already begun shifting their jobs, their money and their assets elsewhere, since day by day it is becoming uncertain what Singapore's future will be. And what is worse, with Lee Kuan Yew going to die any minute, the exodus of people, money, skills and assets is only increasing in flow and strength. And with the demise of Lee Kuan Yew, I believe Singapore will become no longer viable.
It has no foundation in law, in morality or in truth. It is run purely by Lee Kuan Yew and a few corrupt minions who pay second fiddle because it is profitable. These fiddlers are already beginning to see the writing on the wall and they are beginning to leave fiddle and all.
I think when Lee Kuan Yew's son takes over; there may be no fiddlers at all. So it may be advisable for those who have a large stake in the country to keep reading the writing on the wall and prepare to pack your suitcases, fiddle and all.
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's state owned and controlled press daily reports Singapore being an international city whose main business is international banking, commerce, high end manufacturing and education. Singapore Airlines is one of the largest, if not the largest airline in the world covering almost every continent and every country. English is the main language of commerce and tourism is a major part of the GDP with tourists from all over the world visiting Singapore.
Against this backdrop, we have a press which is entirely owned and controlled by the government. Every news media, TV and Radio are all controlled by the government; the judiciary is entirely corrupt, in the sense, they are there to do the government's bidding, not necessarily to uphold the law; a police force that has been told to deny the citizens any means of expressing their views publicly, unless it is in praise of the government; a civil service which is entirely at the mercy of Lee Kuan Yew and his minions, and not for just and fair administration of laws; where each day people live not knowing what Mr. Lee will have in store for them tomorrow. In other words, a country without a constitution, without just and fair laws, without an impartial judiciary.
It so happens, for the moment, Lee Kuan Yew has managed to intimidate and subjugate through bribes, monetary favors and high salaries, the top echelons of the power; namely the judiciary and top civil servants to obey him whatever his demands. And by this loyalty to one man, Lee Kuan Yew through his various minions, has managed to run the country this long in an orderly manner. The question is, can it last.
It should be quite obvious, that the present existence of this one party totalitarian dictatorship is surviving on thin ice. It's very present existence is precarious. Precarious because, the loyalty that Lee presently has that enables the government to go on; is not because of his greatness either morally or legally.
The loyalty is simply earned through money, lots of money. Each minister of his is paid $3.7 million a year. The high court judges too are paid several millions a year for which they are prepared to bend the law any which way Lee wants. The top civil servants are paid several millions of dollars, in return for which they are prepared to interpret any statute and punish anyone that Lee wants punished. All these people have been bought with money. And for money they dance to Lee Kuan Yew's tune.
The true Singapore is the decadent corrupt one party state totalitarian Singapore. Of course Mr. Lee Kuan Yew does not want the world to know this. So for the last 40 years, he has managed to hoodwink the rest of the world into thinking that Singapore is a democracy, by the daily propaganda and lies put out by the Straits Times and other State Controlled media in Singapore. And to a large extent Lee Kuan Yew succeeded to prolong the lie because he controlled the news.
Question is can he continue to hoodwink the rest of the world into thinking it is a democracy? Has the cat escaped the bag after all? I think it has. And I think the days of this one party state as it is now, are numbered.
The global mass media, internet technology and telecommunication means today that no matter how much Lee Kuan Yew puts out lies and propaganda in his local press; he may be able to continue to fool some Singaporeans but more and more, the young are getting the news from elsewhere. Internationally Singapore’s reputation has been badly tarnished. The world has come to know that it is nothing more than a one party totalitarian state which beats its citizens with sticks (caning) and hangs petty drug moles. But what is worse is that it is now well known that Singapore does not have the rule of law.
The greatest damage being done now is the knowledge which the rest of the world knows being that Singapore lacks the rule of law. For the last 40 years the law has been blatantly and shamelessly used as a political tool to destroy political opponents though defamation of character lawsuits; where corrupt and pliant judges would award damages of a half million dollars bankrupting them and thereby preventing them from contesting elections.
Singapore's corrupt judiciary is an impediment to trade commerce and banking. International corporations would be averse to deal with Singapore in matters of trade when they know that their contracts may not be given impartial justice. This is one reason why Singapore being a commercial city but has only 3,400 lawyers in all, a figure far below what is needed in a commercial city such as this. Lawyers are leaving Singapore for good, not renewing their practicing certificates and there are no more new entrants to the law.
The attempt to make Singapore a center for learning has also failed understandably. How can one become learned if one has constantly to look over one's shoulder whether Lee has commenced a defamation lawsuit against you for what you said, academically or otherwise? Calling Singapore an educational center is a non sequitur, a non starter, an oxymoron. Let me put it this way. It is like calling it a flying pig.
Now to the question, will it last? I doubt it very much. For any organization to last, you need a foundation. A foundation of laws, or a foundation of truth or a foundation of virtue. In other words a foundation of something good. Singapore has no such foundation. The only reason why it exists at the moment is because Lee has corruptly managed to secure the loyalty of a few minions with mind boggling bribes and salaries.
Singapore has no foundation in law or legal basis. There is no law at all. The judges are corrupt. The law is bent and broken at will by Lee Kuan Yew.
It has no foundation in virtue. We see that Lee Kuan Yew is nothing more than a thief. Anyone who pays himself $3.7 million a year is a thief.
The situation therefore begs 2 questions. One, will these minions of his who are paid astronomical bribes in exchange for their loyalty continue to be loyal and what will happen in the near future and after he dies. Second, will they also continue to show the same loyalty to his son who has inherited his position; and will his son be able to pay each of them $3.7 million a year in bribes.
The answer to both the questions is in the negative. Any prudent Singaporeans with any amount of a stake in the country will realize that unless all his massive wealth is in foreign currency, his Singapore dollar will fall to even below the Zimbabwe dollar even if a few people decide that Singapore is no longer reliable and sound. The country is too small to withstand even a small outflow of the Singapore dollar. With the lack of respect that the rest of the world has in Singapore’s vital institutions, it cannot expect to continue to be a banking center, a trading center, an education center and so on. And when Lee Kuan Yew dies, the million dollar question is whether the minions presently at the top will continue to serve the son who has been placed there by Lee senior.
I think there is grave doubts whether people have already begun shifting their jobs, their money and their assets elsewhere, since day by day it is becoming uncertain what Singapore's future will be. And what is worse, with Lee Kuan Yew going to die any minute, the exodus of people, money, skills and assets is only increasing in flow and strength. And with the demise of Lee Kuan Yew, I believe Singapore will become no longer viable.
It has no foundation in law, in morality or in truth. It is run purely by Lee Kuan Yew and a few corrupt minions who pay second fiddle because it is profitable. These fiddlers are already beginning to see the writing on the wall and they are beginning to leave fiddle and all.
I think when Lee Kuan Yew's son takes over; there may be no fiddlers at all. So it may be advisable for those who have a large stake in the country to keep reading the writing on the wall and prepare to pack your suitcases, fiddle and all.
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
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