Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Singapore's James Gomez, chained shackled and gagged.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Singapore's official state controlled newspaper the Straits Times online edition of Feb 04, 2010 has this story, "New Association Approved". It is about James Gomez, a former Singapore opposition politician's receiving government approval to form a new society, Singaporeans for Democracy(SFD) to, as the name suggests, advance democracy in Singapore.

But the whole thing is really nonsensical, as is the story of this island republic itself controlled by the strongman Lee Kuan Yew.

According to the report, he only got government approval because he agreed to the following conditions, and if not, he would not have been able to form this society at all.

One, he was not allowed to receive foreign funding; two, foreigners were not allowed to participate in its activities; three, he was not allowed to operate as a political party; four, he is not allowed to affiliate with any local or foreign political party and five, he cannot sponsor any political party or any candidate in parliamentary elections.

Gomez, being unable to have the society without obeying these ridiculous conditions has, it appears, agreed to all of them.

Each one of these conditions and the requirement for registration itself is not only an illegal act by this Singapore strongman Lee Kuan Yew, they stink to high heavens.

The Constitution guarantees the right to assemble and form associations, repeat, this is a constitutional right. Therefore the requirement for registration itself is illegal. And furthermore, every other condition above mentioned is illegal and the government has no right to demand any of this.

For instance, why is it illegal to receive foreign funding per se? Yes, it may be wrong to to use foreign funding to overthrow the government but receiving it alone should not be illegal by any stretch.

Why is it any of Lee Kuan Yew's business if Gomez invites foreigners to his society? The constitution does not criminalize that. Why is it illegal for him to operate as a political party? Does not the constitution allow anyone to engage in politics? Why is it illegal for him to work with political parties and support candidates? The Constitution does not prevent that.

It is the height of incredulity to even suggest that an organization such as this, which is inherently and completely political in nature, is not to be allowed to engage in such political activities, which was the very purpose it was set up in the first place.

What has happened is this. Gomez has been chained shackled and gagged and then released into a boxing ring to fight his opponent, in this case Lee Kuan Yew and his PAP. This is what one could call a tragic comedy, and Gomez is the star attraction.

In 1948 when the United Nations partitioned Palestine and gave a small stretch of sea front to the Jews as Israel, which by the way was only a quarter of the size of Israel now, David Ben Gurion was asked why he accepted it, a small piece of desert beside the sea. His answer was "Half a loaf was better than none".

If that is why Gomez accepted, he was badly mistaken. One can understand Ben Gurion since Israel may get bigger in time. As for Gomez, with these conditions placed on him and with Lee Kuan Yew in power, he has no hope at all.

If democracy is what Gomez intended to promote, with these conditions, and with Lee Kuan Yew breathing down his neck, he has no hope at all.

If I was Gomez, I would not comply with any of these conditions since they are all illegal. I would do whatever I want, according to universal laws as understood by the free peoples of the world, since it is these unjust laws that prevent democracy from ever taking root in Singapore.

Gopalan Nair
39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Suite A1
Fremont, CA 94538, USA
Tel: 510 657 6107
Fax: 510 657 6914
Email: nair.gopalan@yahoo.com
Blog: http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/

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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is illegal to receive foreigner funding for political party yet our own kangaroos can fund resource out of state asset to other political party of foreign country.

Amazing kangaroos who think they are above their own kangaroo law.

http://aussgworldpolitics.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/singapore-glcs-political-donations-to-australias-political-parties/

Anonymous said...

aiya what to do leh, singapore like that one mah, you write write also no use lor

we all are slaves here, we have no rights, we already got used to it liao...this is life mah...complain so much only unhappy...just relax and be happy most important...geylang is still legal and you 20000 friendly girls smiling at you...do you have that in america?

malaysia, thailand, phillipines, china, taiwan, korea etc are also very cheap to visit and have some fun.

my singlish very good hor?

Anonymous said...

Does Singapore have a Toyota problem?

The Toyota mess is an example of 'Asian values' in action.

------------
From the WSJ:

The shame and embarrassment of owning up to product defects in a nation obsessed with craftsmanship and quality raises the bar on disclosure and assuming responsibility.

There is also a culture of deference inside corporations that makes it hard for those lower in the hierarchy to question their superiors or inform them about problems.

-------
So, does Singapore have a Toyota problem?

People in Singapore may not not until the passing of LKY. Someone within the PAP may then become brave enough to expose the skeletons.

Anonymous said...

What can Singapore voters learn from Japan?

"Voters threw the long-ruling conservative Liberal Democratic Party out of office last year and have warmed to the Democratic Party of Japan's attacks on those in power and their extensive influence.

The public wants fresh thinking about Japan's staggering problems ranging from its rapidly growing disparities, high poverty rate (above 15%), youth unemployment and marginal employment, and a low birthrate attributed to a family-unfriendly environment.

But the DPJ has lost traction, caught up in money scandals reminiscent of the venal era of LDP rule.

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama faces demands for more transparency and accountability, a yearning that also extends to the corporate world."

JamesTan said...

What does the product of PAP looks like?
An spoilt half adult who cannot speak properly in any of his learnt languages and whose idea of making money is depressing labour cost by employing powerless foreigners while following someone's business idea.

This textbook educated person has a certain mental illness who makes him/her queue up for hours for useless McDonalds toys and other "must-have" rubbish, think that Singapore politics is the norm the neighbouring countries should follow, has no idea of what is left-wing or right-wing, see no issue outwardly in having his rights and privacy violated but take the frustration out by abusing his/her maid.

The mind of this person works very simply, black and white with no shades of grey. Example This person wonders why the Thais so stupid by protesting in an airport, closing down that airport and causing bad reputation for itself.

This person's happiness is derived from seeing someone worst off then him/herself.

This person has an inherent fear of the PAP and its dictator Lee.

Hopefully, this person is slowly being replaced by a more enlightened younger version who wonder why s/he is asked to shut up by his mommy/daddy when s/he complains about the failures of Old fart Lee's policies and how his political party is retarding Singapore's growth further by stupid laws that would have sent Aussies to the streets in protests.


Sidetrack

Remember "Two is Enough" birth-control campaign. That is the smartest idea. Now, you have PAP-loyal New Singaporeans

Anonymous said...

Warning Singlish below. Look what the Lees have turned Singapore into
- obedient serfs who cannot express themselves. (Its a plot to dumb down the population so that an elite few with good English and Mandarin can rule.)

I have met so many people from the PRC who can write much better English.


Default Re: PRC aunty created a din on MRT train ride after being called “cheap slut” - 01-02-2010, 11:53 PM
Bro , i agreed with you no one is better than the other. PRC is a big country and in Sin...ga....pore here there are so many ShangHai and Beijing immigrants . This people amount the PRC group are the wrost they speak loudly in the public and manys are rude . Today , i met aother incident at the bus stop and this PRC man was shuoting and making noise due to the bus went off without waiting for him . From the way he speak you know he is from Shanghai .

I am not understand why our govt when issuing out PRs status is there any briefying on how they have to adapt to out culture and not treating like their country.
http://forums.asiaone.com/showthread.php?t=27094&page=7#61