Singapore. The moment is now for peaceful protest and street demonstrations.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Singapore Lee ruling family's grip on power is now extremely tenuous. Difficulties are mounting for them on several fronts. They have seen their lowest majority at the elections in 2011, a mere 62% despite the fact a large segment of the population are recent immigrants who know nothing of Singapore and would naturally vote for anyone in power even if they were donkeys.

You have the ever increasing problem of the unstoppable brain drain with the loss of the most talented of Singaporeans, a crippling blow paralysing their ability to govern.

Only yesterday Lee's son, the Prime Minister whom he appointed, publicly admitted a growing divide between recent immigrants and native Singaporeans. We hear of daily confrontation including violent ones between them.

As for the Lee ruling family, they are finding it increasingly difficult in attracting qualified candidates into their ranks despite the lure of astronomical salaries running into millions of dollars, made up of salaries, and bribes and kickbacks.

I believe the reason for this; people have no longer confidence in their continued rule since it is widely expected that with the demise of the 89 year old autocrat Lee, which is going to happen very soon, the island will descend into chaos and disorder, the reason being the son is widely believed as incapable of ruling without his father behind him for support.

On top of that you have to suffer the lack of civil liberties; a denial of a free press and instead you get propaganda, the denial of the right to protest, a fear ridden society worshipping the Lee family who appear as Gods, while they steal millions of your dollars calling it salaries.

This is the moment for you if you want to bring down this Lee ruling family dynasty and introduce democracy like they have done in all the Middle East and numerous other countries in the world. Even Burma is changing for the better. The Burmese have had the courage to come out and vote for Aung San Su Chi and freedom.

I am not asking anyone to resort to violence. Remember that under the Singapore Constitution, you have a right to free speech and expression and assembly, provided it is done in peace.

The requirements placed by the Lee ruling family requiring permits for such activity is illegal under the law as the Constitution is sacrosanct and no amendment of its provisions is allowed except for grave national emergency which does not exist.

Although you might be prosecuted by this repressive dictatorial regime for engaging in this lawful activity, such prosecutions are illegal under natural justice. Remember both under international law and under natural justice you are committing no wrong. Indeed your actions would be of the highest of honorable conduct expected of a loyal patriotic citizen.

Please do not waste your time protesting in Hong Lim park because you need not comply with that requirement. The law entitles you to protest in any public place in Singapore provided you are not obstructing or trespassing into anyone else's person or property.

It is going to be very hard for them to portray you as a criminal for doing this, since the world's greatest human beings have all engaged in peaceful protest such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King. If indeed men like them were criminals, surely it is an honor to be a criminal.

Just imagine how much effect you would have if you stood at Raffles Place at lunch hour holding up a placard for freedom. You are not obstructing anyone, you are not hurting anyone, you are in peace speaking your mind as a good citizen should.

There are many Singaporeans who have travelled abroad and know that such activity is routinely carried out in Sydney, Melbourne, London and any other free city in the world. The Lee ruling family has no right to stop you doing this in your own country.

Far too many people in Singapore have already seen the other side of the hill. Singaporeans know how much fun it is to live free. I do as I live in California. At the same time I wish to see a free and democratic Singapore as I am sure you, the reader of Singapore Dissident, also do.

So my friends, do it. The moment is now. I would love to see to faces of the Lee family when this actually happens. Remember it is 2012 now. Not 1960. Once someone does it, I am absolutely sure, it would spread like wildfire across the island. And you would come out of this a free man no longer in bondage.

Gopalan Nair
Attorney at Law
Disbarred from practicing law in Lee's Singapore, imprisoned and refused entry to the island for criticizing Singapore's judiciary in this blog (see blogpost May 29, 2008 Singapore. Judge Belinda Ang's Kangaroo Court)
Actively practicing law in California and in good standing at the California Bar.
Member in good standing as a lawyer in England and Wales (Barrister).
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Fremont, CA 94538, USA
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Email: nair.gopalan@yahoo.com
Blog: http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/

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