Ladies and Gentlemen,
An appeal for donations
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you are aware, my forced stay in Singapore for 6 months by the Singapore government by their holding my passport and preventing me to travel, has resulted in severe financial burden to me. I have to get my law practice back into swing and get all other small matters taken care of. I am therefore badly in need of financial assistance. Your donations at this time will be greatly appreciated.If you can donate, please send the moneys through Western Union which is available at any post office in Singapore. Same applies to those in other countries.Any amount will be appreciated.When sending the funds, please email me the reference number to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com. Payable to "Gopalan Nair". Many thanks Gopalan Nair
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The state controlled press, the Straits Times of Singapore of Dec 3, 2008, reports that 2 days after I reached American soil, I retracted any apology given in the Lee Kuan Yew controlled courts of Singapore, Court 15, Subordinate Courts, before Judge Leslie Chew. This is correct. All apologies are retracted. So is my undertaking not to write my mind on the dire lack of human rights, the shameful lack of independence of the courts and everything else that need to be addressed. I shall also be reposting the blog posts which I was required to remove of Sept 1 and Sept 6 of 2008 in this blog.
The newspaper report states that the Singapore attorney general is looking into my turn about. My advice to the Attorney General of Singapore is to do all he can and whatever he wants. But the sad fact, for him that is, I am on American soil. America is a free country.
If he determined to make a fool of himself, extradition is what he has to consider. To do that, Singapore has to apply through diplomatic channels to register the claim in a US court. A US court would then have to consider whether what I did would be a violation of the laws in Singapore. In considering the question, they will have to look into the question whether what I did would tantamount to a crime in the United States. It is here that Singapore would find themselves in a bind. America is a country of laws. And their judges are proud to defend those laws. Not like Singapore which uses its courts as their principle tool to silence dissent. There is no way that Singapore can even hope to succeed. But I would be glad if they tried, which would make me an even greater celebrity than what they already have made me.
Dictatorships all over the world use dirty tactics to stay in power for as long as they can. I say for as long as they can, because sooner or later they all collapse. One of these tactics is to unjustly condemn a man and then repeat that lie over and over, hoping that the lie will eventually take root.
The state controlled press report mentions that "In writing about the case on his blog, he insulted High Court judge Belinda Ang". This is a deliberate lie. This refers to my arrest and conviction for what I had written in my blog post Thursday, May 29, 2008 Singapore. Judge Belinda Ang's Kangaroo Court. The material words which the Singapore Court relied on to convicted me before Justice Kan Ting Chiu of the Supreme Court were
"The judge Belinda Ang was throughout prostituting herself during the entire proceedings, by being nothing more than an employee of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and his son and carrying out their orders. There was murder, the rule of law being the repeated victim."
The state controlled Singapore court with its complaint judge Kan Ting Chiu found that the words "prostituting herself during the entire proceedings", among other parts of the blog post, was an insult to her.
This is completely untrue. According to Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, other than the usual meaning of a prostitute being a street walker, it also means
a) to devote to corrupt or unworthy purposes, debase, e.g. to prostitute one's talents b) devoted to corrupt purposes c) a person who (as a writer or painter) who deliberately debases himself or his talents (as for money).
And this was exactly what Judge Belinda Ang did during those 3 days of May 26 to May 28, 2008 in the High Court of Singapore. Reading the blog you will see that my accusation is factually correct. She unashamedly, throughout the proceedings permitted her position of a judge to be used for Lee Kuan Yew and his son's advantage; not the not the interests of the law.
And I repeat those words I said again here. She undoubtedly "prostituted herself in her position as a judge" to serve the interests of Lee Kuan Yew and his son, the Prime Minister of Singapore.
Therefore there was no insult at all. My claim is factually correct. I am lawyer and I choose my words with discretion. But whatever the truth was, did not matter to Lee Kuan Yew's agent, Judge Kan Ting Chiu that day. He finds that I insulted the judge when there was no insult at all. And now, the state controlled Straits Times picks it up and repeats that defamation again and again hoping that people will believe that I had in fact insulted the judge.
And then another lie. The report reads " Separately in July he behaved in a disorderly fashion and hurled expletives at police officers". I did no such thing.
I was accosted by 5 men claiming to be police officers who demanded to see my particulars in Little India on the July 4th 2008 at about 8.30 pm in Race Course Road, Little India, Singapore. Not knowing who they were I refused. And a little later, I was arrested. Of course, I being Gopalan Nair, and a former Singapore opposition politician, they pressed charges and came up with anything they can imagine which included an accusation that I called one of the police officers "A Malay bastard" and that I was gesticulating with my hands.
The trial took 18 days. The police officers in an orchestrated fashion recited the same lies. In fact they could have said anything they wanted, even that I had tried to kill them and the Lee controlled court of Judge James Leong presiding, Court 16, Subordinate Court would have accepted it.
But the judge James Leong having accepted the lies, and convicts me of disorderly behavior and hurling expletives at police officers, the Singapore state controlled paper picks it up and repeats that lie again and again, hoping that somehow the Singapore public would believe that I am a man who goes around hurling abuses at police officers and being disorderly in public.
The Singapore government in their eagerness to tarnish the name of anyone that criticizes them is going about this entirely the wrong way. They should realize that they have chosen the wrong man to defame and punish. I denied both the Judge Belinda Ang case and the disorderly case, which took 18 days and 8 days of trial. They spent a great deal of money and effort. Perhaps they hoped that I would have pleaded guilty and left the country without much fuss. But my refusal to admit the charges and go to trial meant my staying in Singapore for 6 months, which was much more damaging to them.
During this long stay in Singapore, I was able to associate with Dr. Chee Soon Juan and members and activists of their party, understand the political situation in Singapore better and even assist in their political activism.
It increased awareness of may case among the Singapore public, where strangers used to come up to me and shake my hand with appreciation, my picture being on that paper almost everyday. My case received international attention with world bodies calling for my release and for the charges to be dropped. This blog overnight began to be read by almost everyone in Singapore who knew English.
All this, was not in the interests of Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore. If they had given it some thought and found out the sort of person I was, they would have done well to deport me the very day I wrote the blog. But they seem adamant to continue in their folly by their continued interest in me with their newspaper report of Dec 3, 2008.
If someone could advice the Singapore authorities and their state controlled newspaper that it is best to leave me alone for their own good. Of course I hope they would continue with this vendetta against me, because it greatly serves my purpose of exposing this regime of Lee Kuan Yew in Singapore.
The report also states "Mr. Nair was admonished, warned against launching future attacks on the judiciary and had to pay the AGC (Singapore Attorney General) $5,000.00 in legal costs."
While I was in prison, a day before my release, Francis Lim, police officer from Central Police Station came to prison and gave me a letter from the Attorney General demanding that I pay about $6,000 (inclusive of their expenses) by November 26, 2008, which was the date of my banishment from Singapore Changi Airport. You would like to know that I have not paid this and I don't intend to pay this ever. And they made no attempt to stop me from leaving!
By way of parenthesis, you would like to know that in an earlier politically motivated case which partly resulted in my leaving Singapore in 1991 for good, another contempt of court case, an election rally speech in Bukit Merah where I stood as a Workers Party candidate in that by election, I was ordered to pay the Attorney General $13,000.00 which I have refused to pay, as I was already in the US by the time they worked out the figures. And not just that, about that time, I was suspended from practicing as a lawyer in Singapore for 2 years for writing a letter to the then Attorney General demanding that he explain himself on a matter relating to the late JB Jeyaretnam, another shameful political action, in which they worked out my liability for costs in access of, believe it or not, $150,000.00. I have not paid that either.
No other government would sit idly by when an individual mocks their court orders in this fashion. They would take every effort to go after that individual no matter where he was. But you see, the Singapore government is not any other country. All their bravado and their arrogance is only in that small island where they rule by intimidating people by abusing the law. They leave alone anyone outside their borders because they know that they are a morally bankrupt country which will not command the respect of anyone else. Not to say that Singaporeans respect their government or their legal system, but because of fear there is nothing they can do in that prison which is called Singapore.
I would have been satisfied even if a single human being had read this. But with the wide coverage that this blog gets, and with the grapevine, Singapore will hear this and will hear my side of the story.
Many thanks.
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/
Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Adventure
Ladies and Gentlemen,
An appeal for donations
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you are aware, my forced stay in Singapore for 6 months by the Singapore government by their holding my passport and preventing me to travel, has resulted in severe financial burden to me. I have to get my law practice back into swing and get all other small matters taken care of. I am therefore badly in need of financial assistance. Your donations at this time will be greatly appreciated.If you can donate, please send the moneys through Western Union which is available at any post office in Singapore. Same applies to those in other countries.Any amount will be appreciated.When sending the funds, please email me the reference number to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com. Payable to "Gopalan Nair". Many thanks
Gopalan Nair
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Can I share some stirring words with you. I had lunch today in Chinese restaurant and the fortune cookie had this
"the only people who never fail are those who never try"
While in Queenstown Prison Singapore for 60 days for writing a blog post in this blog, which the Lee Kuan Yew government calls insulting a judge, I read a novel, which name I forget which had this, of which I am guilty,
"self delusion is a pre-condition for any act of consequence".
Someone who died rounding Cape Horn in the BOC Round the World Single Handed Yacht Race, his name was Harry something, which I forget. He was washed off his deck trying to round the Horn in the Roaring Forties in 70 knot gale. His life line saftey harness snapped. The Chilean Navy tried to search but had to leave because they could not operate at night. The Australian navy came later. Harry was never found. His words,
"life should be one long adventure, or it is nothing"
When I look back at my ordeal in Singapore, it is true that at the time it was hard. But now when I revisit it in my mind, it was one of the greatest adventures of my life. And to come back to shambles in California and having to pick up from where I started, is another adventure.
You can say this again, my life has been a roller coaster. But you know what, I wouldn't have it any other way. I agree entirely with Harry.
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/
Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.
An appeal for donations
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you are aware, my forced stay in Singapore for 6 months by the Singapore government by their holding my passport and preventing me to travel, has resulted in severe financial burden to me. I have to get my law practice back into swing and get all other small matters taken care of. I am therefore badly in need of financial assistance. Your donations at this time will be greatly appreciated.If you can donate, please send the moneys through Western Union which is available at any post office in Singapore. Same applies to those in other countries.Any amount will be appreciated.When sending the funds, please email me the reference number to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com. Payable to "Gopalan Nair". Many thanks
Gopalan Nair
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Can I share some stirring words with you. I had lunch today in Chinese restaurant and the fortune cookie had this
"the only people who never fail are those who never try"
While in Queenstown Prison Singapore for 60 days for writing a blog post in this blog, which the Lee Kuan Yew government calls insulting a judge, I read a novel, which name I forget which had this, of which I am guilty,
"self delusion is a pre-condition for any act of consequence".
Someone who died rounding Cape Horn in the BOC Round the World Single Handed Yacht Race, his name was Harry something, which I forget. He was washed off his deck trying to round the Horn in the Roaring Forties in 70 knot gale. His life line saftey harness snapped. The Chilean Navy tried to search but had to leave because they could not operate at night. The Australian navy came later. Harry was never found. His words,
"life should be one long adventure, or it is nothing"
When I look back at my ordeal in Singapore, it is true that at the time it was hard. But now when I revisit it in my mind, it was one of the greatest adventures of my life. And to come back to shambles in California and having to pick up from where I started, is another adventure.
You can say this again, my life has been a roller coaster. But you know what, I wouldn't have it any other way. I agree entirely with Harry.
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/
Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.
The continued need to expose this dictatorship.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
An appeal for donations
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you are aware, my forced stay in Singapore for 6 months by the Singapore government by their holding my passport and preventing me to travel, has resulted in severe financial burden to me. I have to get my law practice back into swing and get all other small matters taken care of. I am therefore badly in need of financial assistance. Your donations at this time will be greatly appreciated.If you can donate, please send the moneys through Western Union which is available at any post office in Singapore. Same applies to those in other countries.Any amount will be appreciated.When sending the funds, please email me the reference number to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com. Payable to "Gopalan Nair".
Many thanks Gopalan Nair
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Every Singaporean, yes, I mean every Singaporean, knows that Lee Kuan Yew rules through fear. That the payment he calls salary of $3.7 million is in fact corruption by another word. The same applies to all his Ministers who are thieves just like him. Everyone knows that he may in fact be taking even more money without telling it. Everyone knows that if any Singaporean were to question him about it, he will be destroyed. And everyone knows that the method he uses for the destruction is his courts. And we all know that his courts are his tools to silence and destroy his opponents. Everyone knows this. He too knows that everyone knows this.
So my purpose is to say it as it is. Call a rat a rat, and not rabbit, because it is not. So saying this publicly; publicly calling his judges corrupt is necessary. As with more people publicly saying this, his control weakens, because he only stays in power as long as the people believe in him. When, as is now, the entire public treat him and his courts as a pretence, and the office holders pretenders; consequences damaging follow.
Singaporeans leave the country. Those remaining in Singapore live in a unhealthy state of self denial. It makes them lose interest in what they do, lose interest in their jobs, and they worry about their futures. Their children's futures.
So my purpose is quite clear. I say these things publicly. Yes it is true, I now write from the protection of the United States, but that makes no difference to my object. Which is to publicly expose this dictatorship. Which I believe is bad for Singapore, it's people and it's children.
Needless to say, you in Singapore face unimaginable hardships if you were to write like me. You will suffer the wrath of the dictator. But I say this. What choice do you have? Would you rather continue to live in silence and in fear and shame, or would you rather stand up like a man, and live like a man.
I have made my choice as you can see. I live in America. But it is you that has to make this choice as to how you live. I may be criticized for saying that living like a man is preferable anytime to living like sheep, because I live in America, but I cant help it. This is where I am.
I have not said much more than you already know, but it still has to be said. And I said it.
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/
Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.
An appeal for donations
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you are aware, my forced stay in Singapore for 6 months by the Singapore government by their holding my passport and preventing me to travel, has resulted in severe financial burden to me. I have to get my law practice back into swing and get all other small matters taken care of. I am therefore badly in need of financial assistance. Your donations at this time will be greatly appreciated.If you can donate, please send the moneys through Western Union which is available at any post office in Singapore. Same applies to those in other countries.Any amount will be appreciated.When sending the funds, please email me the reference number to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com. Payable to "Gopalan Nair".
Many thanks Gopalan Nair
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Every Singaporean, yes, I mean every Singaporean, knows that Lee Kuan Yew rules through fear. That the payment he calls salary of $3.7 million is in fact corruption by another word. The same applies to all his Ministers who are thieves just like him. Everyone knows that he may in fact be taking even more money without telling it. Everyone knows that if any Singaporean were to question him about it, he will be destroyed. And everyone knows that the method he uses for the destruction is his courts. And we all know that his courts are his tools to silence and destroy his opponents. Everyone knows this. He too knows that everyone knows this.
So my purpose is to say it as it is. Call a rat a rat, and not rabbit, because it is not. So saying this publicly; publicly calling his judges corrupt is necessary. As with more people publicly saying this, his control weakens, because he only stays in power as long as the people believe in him. When, as is now, the entire public treat him and his courts as a pretence, and the office holders pretenders; consequences damaging follow.
Singaporeans leave the country. Those remaining in Singapore live in a unhealthy state of self denial. It makes them lose interest in what they do, lose interest in their jobs, and they worry about their futures. Their children's futures.
So my purpose is quite clear. I say these things publicly. Yes it is true, I now write from the protection of the United States, but that makes no difference to my object. Which is to publicly expose this dictatorship. Which I believe is bad for Singapore, it's people and it's children.
Needless to say, you in Singapore face unimaginable hardships if you were to write like me. You will suffer the wrath of the dictator. But I say this. What choice do you have? Would you rather continue to live in silence and in fear and shame, or would you rather stand up like a man, and live like a man.
I have made my choice as you can see. I live in America. But it is you that has to make this choice as to how you live. I may be criticized for saying that living like a man is preferable anytime to living like sheep, because I live in America, but I cant help it. This is where I am.
I have not said much more than you already know, but it still has to be said. And I said it.
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/
Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.
Monday, December 1, 2008
An appeal for donations
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you are aware, my forced stay in Singapore for 6 months by the Singapore government by their holding my passport and preventing me to travel, has resulted in severe financial burden to me. I have to get my law practice back into swing and get all other small matters taken care of. I am therefore badly in need of financial assistance. Your donations at this time will be greatly appreciated.
If you can donate, please send the moneys through Western Union which is available at any post office in Singapore. Same applies to those in other countries.
Any amount will be appreciated.
When sending the funds, please email me the reference number to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com. Payable to "Gopalan Nair".
Many thanks
Gopalan Nair
As you are aware, my forced stay in Singapore for 6 months by the Singapore government by their holding my passport and preventing me to travel, has resulted in severe financial burden to me. I have to get my law practice back into swing and get all other small matters taken care of. I am therefore badly in need of financial assistance. Your donations at this time will be greatly appreciated.
If you can donate, please send the moneys through Western Union which is available at any post office in Singapore. Same applies to those in other countries.
Any amount will be appreciated.
When sending the funds, please email me the reference number to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com. Payable to "Gopalan Nair".
Many thanks
Gopalan Nair
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Justice Judith Prakash. Another Kangaroo Judge.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
After my imprisonment in Singapore for 60 days, thanks to Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew, I was let off for 5 days so as to get my things in order before I was banished forever from Singapore on November 26, 2008. The 5 days enabled me to attend the case in the High Court, generally known as the Kangaroo Court T shirt case. On Monday 24, 2008, the Singapore judge Justice Judith Prakash found all 3 defendants guilty as expected. The sentence was to be delivered on Thursday November 27, 2008 which I could not observe, as I was deported on Wednesday the 26th. There was jail terms for all 3 Defendants, with Mr. Tan having to serve 15 days, and the other 2 Isrizal and Shafi, 7 days each. In addition they were each ordered to pay the government costs of $5,000.00 each.
The facts are that these 3 wore T shirts with the image of a kangaroo in judicial robes, (which means that the court is not impartial but corrupt), to the hearing before Justice Belinda Ang, (which by the way, was the same judge whom I was accused of insulting, resulting in my 3 month imprisonment), from May 26 to May 28 2008 at the Supreme Court Singapore. As you will recall, the case before Judge Ang was for assessment of damages that Dr. Chee and company have to pay Lee Kuan Yew in his successful defamation action brought by Lee against Dr. Chee. For wearing these T shirts to Judge Ang’s court, Justice Prakash found them all guilty and the resultant severe penalties.
None of the 3 deserved any punishment. The Singapore constitution allows every citizen the freedom of speech and expression. And wearing T shirts with the image of a Kangaroo is the exercise of that freedom which the Constitution guarantees. Secondly it cannot amount to a contempt to say something which is true.
Everyone knows that the Singapore judiciary is complaint to the wishes of Lee Kuan Yew and his government as can be seen from the series of politically motivated court cases from as early as the 1960s up till today against the late JB Jeyaretnam to Dr. Chee Soon Juan, Lee's victims, who have been imprisoned and impoverished. How then can saying something that is true, that the Singapore courts are kangaroo courts and Singapore judges’ kangaroo judges, amount to contempt of court?
Justice Judith Prakash just as all her fellow judges in Singapore has once again disgraced herself, her office as judge and let down Singapore by shamelessly doing the bidding of her master Lee Kuan Yew by convicting and punishing these brave young men, who are in fact the pride of Singapore. They unlike the masses who live in fear of Lee Kuan Yew, had the courage to speak the truth and do what had to be done, which is to stand up to their convictions and say what has to be said, come what may.
These politically motivated cases, intended to break the will of good upstanding men and women of Singapore is difficult to endure. The jail terms of 15 days and 7 days is bad enough but endurable. But what is crippling is not the jail terms. It is the court costs of $5,000.00 (about US$4,000.00) each that they have to pay. This is a huge crippling amount of money for an average wage earner in Singapore.
If they find the money to pay, it will be a lesson to them never to criticize Lee's courts again. On the other hand, if they cannot pay, they would be made bankrupt, which means they cannot travel outside Singapore and the requirement that they report each month to the Bankruptcy office to explain their financial standing. Either way it is a debilitating crippling punishment, intended to send a clear signal both to them and everyone else that they should not, ever, dare to criticize Lee Kuan Yew or his courts, regardless of whatever dishonesty he or his courts perpetrate.
And if they ever do what they did again, they will be sent to jail for longer periods as well as suffer even heavier financial burdens.
With Lee Kuan Yew abusing the law courts to stay in power, and with unprincipled shameless judges such as Judith Prakash, what then is the answer to make this fascist dictatorship of Lee Kuan Yew accountable to the people? It is easy for me to say from the safety of the United States that more and more Singaporeans should pick up the courage that these 3 admirable young patriots had, and do what is right.
But that is easier said than done. During my 6 months forced stay in Singapore, with my passport held by Singapore police, waiting for my trial 4 months later, I had ample time to meet many Singaporeans. Each time I told Singaporeans to stand up to this dictatorship by open protest, I have always been faced with the same expected answer.
They tell me that they are all ready to speak up against the dictatorship, but they cannot because they would lose their jobs and their children would suffer; they and their families would be ruined financially at the hands of these corrupt compliant judges. This, you would well see, is a hopeless situation, forcing them to suffer in silence in fear of Lee Kuan Yew and his courts.
I do not have an answer to this question. Dr. Chee Soon Juan and his sister Chee Siok Chin have paid gravely to stand up to their convictions. Dr. Chee has lost everything and so has his sister. In history, there are only a handful of men like Dr. Chee, like Nelson Mandela and Gandhi. It is unreasonable to expect ordinary people to be martyrs like them.
Lee Kuan Yew as you can see has a grip on power. And his principle instrument to stay in power is his law courts with his compliant judges which he uses to destroy and demolish his opponents, by bending and breaking the law outright when necessary.
But I know certain truths painful about the country. One is that it is imposable to change this government through parliamentary elections. The Singapore Parliament is nothing more than a rubber stamp. As Christopher Lingle, the NUS professor who was charged with contempt of court and managed to flee the country had written, "Singapore is a one party Leninist state".
Although outwardly Lee Kuan Yew portrays Singapore as a Parliamentary democracy, nothing is further from the truth. It is Lee Kuan Yew, the 86 year old dictator who controls everything, the courts, the trade unions, the media, everything. Parliament has no powers at all. Members of Parliament are mere stooges who would be quite prepared to say 2 plus 2 is 27 or any number Lee Kuan Yew wishes, to take the example of Orwell's 1984.
Therefore the only way to change this government and to make it accountable is for people to be able to say that 2 and 2 are 4 and not any other number of Lee's choosing. And the way to do this is not through the elections of 2010, the next general elections in Singapore, but through peaceful protest on the street.
But peaceful protest means unbearable hardship to the protestors. It would mean 15 days jail and $5,000.00 court costs liability, if not more, to take the recent example of the Kangaroo T shirt case.
With the crippling and terminal nature of these punishments, who among Singaporeans will be prepared to embark on this dangerous adventure? George Orwell in 1984, said correctly that the proletariat will not be the ones with the daring to do it; because they do not understand the need for such abstract values such as freedom and democracy, being content with the hope of getting a an extra $1,000.00 in pay or a better TV set. Neither will members of the elite with the knowledge of such values as freedom; the Inner or Outer Party in his novel 1984, be prepared for that sacrifice, as they would have too much to lose financially.
The answer lies with the young men and women with a tertiary education, citizens who are armed with a good English education, who know that they can succeed anywhere in the world, who would care 2 hoots to what Lee Kuan Yew can do to them. If they protest and get arrested, so what? They can take the next flight out to Australia where they will be welcomed with open arms, where they and their families can live as free men and women, able to speak their minds without fear of Lee Kuan Yew or anyone else.
It is these young men and women who should take courage and join Dr. Chee Soon Juan and his noble fight to seek freedom for his people. And I call upon them not to remain silent and do what is right and noble. Stand up for Singapore and stand up for the truth. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Leaving Singapore for a life overseas is itself the greatest form of protest against Lee Kuan Yew and his politically motivated courts. In effect, by leaving, you are telling Lee Kuan Yew that you are not prepared to live as a slave in his island and the ability to live a free man is worth more than any amount of riches that corrupt judges such as Judge Judith Prakash can earn in her entire lifetime by playing second fiddle to Lee Kuan Yew, her master.
At present, I understand that as many as 1000 Singaporeans emigrate from Singapore’s shores annually for countries such as Australia. I have read that Lee Kuan Yew himself has gone to cities such as Melbourne begging overseas Singaporeans to return with no success whatsoever. Why should they return to a fear infested island where the slightest criticism of Lee or his courts will result in crippling financial ruin! By the way, I understand that the numbers of those leaving has been steadily increasing above 1000 each year!
As for the likes of Justice Judith Prakash, she will continue to live her life in luxury for the dirty work she does to please her master Lee Kuan Yew. Her income for being an agent for Lee Kuan Yew to silence and destroy his critics, I understand is several millions of dollars a year.
But I am sure that she loathes each time that she has to look at herself in the mirror, because what she sees is the face of a dishonorable unconscionable and unprincipled human being who lives by prostituting her position as a judge to please her master Lee Kuan Yew, who finds no other way to stay in power other than abusing the law to silence his critics.
May I say the same thing that I said about her fellow Singapore judge, Judge Belinda Ang, which landed me in prison for 2 months? Judge Judith Prakash of the Supreme Court Singapore has prostituted herself in her capacity as a judge hearing the Kangaroo T shirt case on November 24, 2008 by being nothing more than an employee of Lee Kuan Yew and his son, whom he appointed Prime Minister. By her actions in sending these young men to prison and making them pay crippling court costs of $5,000.00 each, she has shamelessly disgraced herself, her office of a judge, disgraced the Singapore Constitution and disgraced Singapore.
Shame on you, woman.
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/
Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.
After my imprisonment in Singapore for 60 days, thanks to Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew, I was let off for 5 days so as to get my things in order before I was banished forever from Singapore on November 26, 2008. The 5 days enabled me to attend the case in the High Court, generally known as the Kangaroo Court T shirt case. On Monday 24, 2008, the Singapore judge Justice Judith Prakash found all 3 defendants guilty as expected. The sentence was to be delivered on Thursday November 27, 2008 which I could not observe, as I was deported on Wednesday the 26th. There was jail terms for all 3 Defendants, with Mr. Tan having to serve 15 days, and the other 2 Isrizal and Shafi, 7 days each. In addition they were each ordered to pay the government costs of $5,000.00 each.
The facts are that these 3 wore T shirts with the image of a kangaroo in judicial robes, (which means that the court is not impartial but corrupt), to the hearing before Justice Belinda Ang, (which by the way, was the same judge whom I was accused of insulting, resulting in my 3 month imprisonment), from May 26 to May 28 2008 at the Supreme Court Singapore. As you will recall, the case before Judge Ang was for assessment of damages that Dr. Chee and company have to pay Lee Kuan Yew in his successful defamation action brought by Lee against Dr. Chee. For wearing these T shirts to Judge Ang’s court, Justice Prakash found them all guilty and the resultant severe penalties.
None of the 3 deserved any punishment. The Singapore constitution allows every citizen the freedom of speech and expression. And wearing T shirts with the image of a Kangaroo is the exercise of that freedom which the Constitution guarantees. Secondly it cannot amount to a contempt to say something which is true.
Everyone knows that the Singapore judiciary is complaint to the wishes of Lee Kuan Yew and his government as can be seen from the series of politically motivated court cases from as early as the 1960s up till today against the late JB Jeyaretnam to Dr. Chee Soon Juan, Lee's victims, who have been imprisoned and impoverished. How then can saying something that is true, that the Singapore courts are kangaroo courts and Singapore judges’ kangaroo judges, amount to contempt of court?
Justice Judith Prakash just as all her fellow judges in Singapore has once again disgraced herself, her office as judge and let down Singapore by shamelessly doing the bidding of her master Lee Kuan Yew by convicting and punishing these brave young men, who are in fact the pride of Singapore. They unlike the masses who live in fear of Lee Kuan Yew, had the courage to speak the truth and do what had to be done, which is to stand up to their convictions and say what has to be said, come what may.
These politically motivated cases, intended to break the will of good upstanding men and women of Singapore is difficult to endure. The jail terms of 15 days and 7 days is bad enough but endurable. But what is crippling is not the jail terms. It is the court costs of $5,000.00 (about US$4,000.00) each that they have to pay. This is a huge crippling amount of money for an average wage earner in Singapore.
If they find the money to pay, it will be a lesson to them never to criticize Lee's courts again. On the other hand, if they cannot pay, they would be made bankrupt, which means they cannot travel outside Singapore and the requirement that they report each month to the Bankruptcy office to explain their financial standing. Either way it is a debilitating crippling punishment, intended to send a clear signal both to them and everyone else that they should not, ever, dare to criticize Lee Kuan Yew or his courts, regardless of whatever dishonesty he or his courts perpetrate.
And if they ever do what they did again, they will be sent to jail for longer periods as well as suffer even heavier financial burdens.
With Lee Kuan Yew abusing the law courts to stay in power, and with unprincipled shameless judges such as Judith Prakash, what then is the answer to make this fascist dictatorship of Lee Kuan Yew accountable to the people? It is easy for me to say from the safety of the United States that more and more Singaporeans should pick up the courage that these 3 admirable young patriots had, and do what is right.
But that is easier said than done. During my 6 months forced stay in Singapore, with my passport held by Singapore police, waiting for my trial 4 months later, I had ample time to meet many Singaporeans. Each time I told Singaporeans to stand up to this dictatorship by open protest, I have always been faced with the same expected answer.
They tell me that they are all ready to speak up against the dictatorship, but they cannot because they would lose their jobs and their children would suffer; they and their families would be ruined financially at the hands of these corrupt compliant judges. This, you would well see, is a hopeless situation, forcing them to suffer in silence in fear of Lee Kuan Yew and his courts.
I do not have an answer to this question. Dr. Chee Soon Juan and his sister Chee Siok Chin have paid gravely to stand up to their convictions. Dr. Chee has lost everything and so has his sister. In history, there are only a handful of men like Dr. Chee, like Nelson Mandela and Gandhi. It is unreasonable to expect ordinary people to be martyrs like them.
Lee Kuan Yew as you can see has a grip on power. And his principle instrument to stay in power is his law courts with his compliant judges which he uses to destroy and demolish his opponents, by bending and breaking the law outright when necessary.
But I know certain truths painful about the country. One is that it is imposable to change this government through parliamentary elections. The Singapore Parliament is nothing more than a rubber stamp. As Christopher Lingle, the NUS professor who was charged with contempt of court and managed to flee the country had written, "Singapore is a one party Leninist state".
Although outwardly Lee Kuan Yew portrays Singapore as a Parliamentary democracy, nothing is further from the truth. It is Lee Kuan Yew, the 86 year old dictator who controls everything, the courts, the trade unions, the media, everything. Parliament has no powers at all. Members of Parliament are mere stooges who would be quite prepared to say 2 plus 2 is 27 or any number Lee Kuan Yew wishes, to take the example of Orwell's 1984.
Therefore the only way to change this government and to make it accountable is for people to be able to say that 2 and 2 are 4 and not any other number of Lee's choosing. And the way to do this is not through the elections of 2010, the next general elections in Singapore, but through peaceful protest on the street.
But peaceful protest means unbearable hardship to the protestors. It would mean 15 days jail and $5,000.00 court costs liability, if not more, to take the recent example of the Kangaroo T shirt case.
With the crippling and terminal nature of these punishments, who among Singaporeans will be prepared to embark on this dangerous adventure? George Orwell in 1984, said correctly that the proletariat will not be the ones with the daring to do it; because they do not understand the need for such abstract values such as freedom and democracy, being content with the hope of getting a an extra $1,000.00 in pay or a better TV set. Neither will members of the elite with the knowledge of such values as freedom; the Inner or Outer Party in his novel 1984, be prepared for that sacrifice, as they would have too much to lose financially.
The answer lies with the young men and women with a tertiary education, citizens who are armed with a good English education, who know that they can succeed anywhere in the world, who would care 2 hoots to what Lee Kuan Yew can do to them. If they protest and get arrested, so what? They can take the next flight out to Australia where they will be welcomed with open arms, where they and their families can live as free men and women, able to speak their minds without fear of Lee Kuan Yew or anyone else.
It is these young men and women who should take courage and join Dr. Chee Soon Juan and his noble fight to seek freedom for his people. And I call upon them not to remain silent and do what is right and noble. Stand up for Singapore and stand up for the truth. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Leaving Singapore for a life overseas is itself the greatest form of protest against Lee Kuan Yew and his politically motivated courts. In effect, by leaving, you are telling Lee Kuan Yew that you are not prepared to live as a slave in his island and the ability to live a free man is worth more than any amount of riches that corrupt judges such as Judge Judith Prakash can earn in her entire lifetime by playing second fiddle to Lee Kuan Yew, her master.
At present, I understand that as many as 1000 Singaporeans emigrate from Singapore’s shores annually for countries such as Australia. I have read that Lee Kuan Yew himself has gone to cities such as Melbourne begging overseas Singaporeans to return with no success whatsoever. Why should they return to a fear infested island where the slightest criticism of Lee or his courts will result in crippling financial ruin! By the way, I understand that the numbers of those leaving has been steadily increasing above 1000 each year!
As for the likes of Justice Judith Prakash, she will continue to live her life in luxury for the dirty work she does to please her master Lee Kuan Yew. Her income for being an agent for Lee Kuan Yew to silence and destroy his critics, I understand is several millions of dollars a year.
But I am sure that she loathes each time that she has to look at herself in the mirror, because what she sees is the face of a dishonorable unconscionable and unprincipled human being who lives by prostituting her position as a judge to please her master Lee Kuan Yew, who finds no other way to stay in power other than abusing the law to silence his critics.
May I say the same thing that I said about her fellow Singapore judge, Judge Belinda Ang, which landed me in prison for 2 months? Judge Judith Prakash of the Supreme Court Singapore has prostituted herself in her capacity as a judge hearing the Kangaroo T shirt case on November 24, 2008 by being nothing more than an employee of Lee Kuan Yew and his son, whom he appointed Prime Minister. By her actions in sending these young men to prison and making them pay crippling court costs of $5,000.00 each, she has shamelessly disgraced herself, her office of a judge, disgraced the Singapore Constitution and disgraced Singapore.
Shame on you, woman.
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/
Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Lee Kuan Yew losing his grip on power
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I was in prison in Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore from Sept 20, 2008 to Nov 20, 2008 for writing a blog post criticizing Singapore's Judge Belinda Ang for acting no better than an agent of Lee Kuan Yew and his son while presiding over the assessment of damages hearing from May 26, to May 28, 2008 in the case of Lee Kuan Yew against Dr. Chee Soon Juan.
While in prison, I read the book, "All the Shah's Men" by Kinzer. An excellent book which I strongly recommend. It describes how in 1953, the British and Americans conspired to depose a lawfully elected Prime Minister of Iran, Mohammad Mossadeq because he nationalized the prize of the British in Iran, the Anglo Iranian Oil company, with the excuse that if he was not deposed and replaced with the pro West Mohammed Reza Shah, the Russians will occupy Iran.
The methods used by the American CIA are almost identical to those of Lee Kuan Yew. For instance, the Americans discredited Mossadeq by printing and publishing articles discrediting him in Iran, calling him an unbeliever, a communist and even a Jew. Then they used corrupt judges to convict anyone with sympathies for Mossadeq with false charges. People who were sympathetic to Mossadeq were dismissed from their posts. They managed to get almost everyone in the Parliament to support their policies and to condemn Mossadeq. Finally they managed to get the Shah to sign fermans, a sort of edict, ordering Mossadeq to step down, which he did, and promptly replaced by the British and American puppet, the Shah of Iran.
These tactics of 1953 Iran are almost identical to those of Lee in 2008 except that it varies in degree only. But it should be clear to anyone that such dirty tactics of 1953 Iran cannot work in modern day Singapore of 2008, for the simple reason that today, we have the Internet. In 1953, when newspapers containing these falsities against Mossadeq, that were in fact written in Washington and London appeared the next day in Tehran, appearing as if they were written there, the people had no way of knowing otherwise. Without the Internet, they believed every lie put out to them in these smear sheets. The people being illiterate and ignorant had no way to disbelieve the false convictions by the false courts convicting Mossadeq's supporters.
But Lee today still uses these same dirty tactics to stay in power. He uses his courts as a weapon to destroy his political opponents from Jeyaretnam in the 60s to Dr. Chee in 2008. Yet he demands that everyone respect the legal system under pain of imprisonment and impoverishment. This is an untenable situation for him. Every Singaporean today, unless he is blind, is well aware through the series of well publicized political cases that there is no rule of law in Singapore. Yet he demands that people not say it as it is. What is left for Lee is one thing and one thing alone. Fear. His only tool is to instill fear throughout the people to silence them.
As for the state controlled media and the press, it is exactly the same as 1953 Iran. The papers on a daily basis call Dr. Chee a liar, a cheat and what not. But today, nobody believes a thing written in the Singapore press about Lee's critics. Today they have access to he Internet. They can read outside publications which tell a completely different story about Lee's critics. At they end of the day, no one believes the state controlled press of Singapore which demonizes Lee's opponents on a daily basis. In desperation to continue singing the same tune, Lee takes the foreign press to court to shut them up. But whether they are shut up or not, in the end, the effect on Singaporeans is just the opposite. All the more they disbelieve Lee and believe that the truth lies in his victims, not with Lee.
What is left is one thing and one thing alone. Fear. Fear to criticize. Fear to complain. Fear to speak your mind. You end up being a skilled exponent of "doublespeak" of Orwell's 1984. That is to say something when you believe something else. To say that Singapore has the rule of law, when you know it does not. To say that Dr. Chee is a crook, when you know he isn't.
I cannot see how this place can go on like this for long. The educated have already seen the dishonesty in this whole thing. So they pack up and leave for the west, particularly for Australia. They can afford to leave. They are English educated with tertiary education. They can go anywhere they want, so they leave.
The average man without a tertiary education may not see this, and so he may stay. But such citizens are not the essential workforce that Singapore needs. What they need is the brains for leadership. But alas, the brains know the truth and the truth is not conducive to Lee Kuan Yew.
I do not believe that Singapore can be governed this day and age by fear alone. As you can see, the government comes down very hard on critics by imprisoning them, impoverishing them and bankrupting them. Yet all this punishment is failing to deter more and more young men from coming out and openly condemning this dictatorial regime.
What will happen is this. As Lee finds that his critics increase in number, he will increase the punishments meted out to them. But I cannot see this working for him. In the end he will alienate even more Singaporeans to a point where they will not take this lying down and then there must be change. It is inevitable.
He has to know that 1953 colonial tactics cannot work in 2008 Singapore. The good news is, he does not appear to know this.
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/
Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.
I was in prison in Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore from Sept 20, 2008 to Nov 20, 2008 for writing a blog post criticizing Singapore's Judge Belinda Ang for acting no better than an agent of Lee Kuan Yew and his son while presiding over the assessment of damages hearing from May 26, to May 28, 2008 in the case of Lee Kuan Yew against Dr. Chee Soon Juan.
While in prison, I read the book, "All the Shah's Men" by Kinzer. An excellent book which I strongly recommend. It describes how in 1953, the British and Americans conspired to depose a lawfully elected Prime Minister of Iran, Mohammad Mossadeq because he nationalized the prize of the British in Iran, the Anglo Iranian Oil company, with the excuse that if he was not deposed and replaced with the pro West Mohammed Reza Shah, the Russians will occupy Iran.
The methods used by the American CIA are almost identical to those of Lee Kuan Yew. For instance, the Americans discredited Mossadeq by printing and publishing articles discrediting him in Iran, calling him an unbeliever, a communist and even a Jew. Then they used corrupt judges to convict anyone with sympathies for Mossadeq with false charges. People who were sympathetic to Mossadeq were dismissed from their posts. They managed to get almost everyone in the Parliament to support their policies and to condemn Mossadeq. Finally they managed to get the Shah to sign fermans, a sort of edict, ordering Mossadeq to step down, which he did, and promptly replaced by the British and American puppet, the Shah of Iran.
These tactics of 1953 Iran are almost identical to those of Lee in 2008 except that it varies in degree only. But it should be clear to anyone that such dirty tactics of 1953 Iran cannot work in modern day Singapore of 2008, for the simple reason that today, we have the Internet. In 1953, when newspapers containing these falsities against Mossadeq, that were in fact written in Washington and London appeared the next day in Tehran, appearing as if they were written there, the people had no way of knowing otherwise. Without the Internet, they believed every lie put out to them in these smear sheets. The people being illiterate and ignorant had no way to disbelieve the false convictions by the false courts convicting Mossadeq's supporters.
But Lee today still uses these same dirty tactics to stay in power. He uses his courts as a weapon to destroy his political opponents from Jeyaretnam in the 60s to Dr. Chee in 2008. Yet he demands that everyone respect the legal system under pain of imprisonment and impoverishment. This is an untenable situation for him. Every Singaporean today, unless he is blind, is well aware through the series of well publicized political cases that there is no rule of law in Singapore. Yet he demands that people not say it as it is. What is left for Lee is one thing and one thing alone. Fear. His only tool is to instill fear throughout the people to silence them.
As for the state controlled media and the press, it is exactly the same as 1953 Iran. The papers on a daily basis call Dr. Chee a liar, a cheat and what not. But today, nobody believes a thing written in the Singapore press about Lee's critics. Today they have access to he Internet. They can read outside publications which tell a completely different story about Lee's critics. At they end of the day, no one believes the state controlled press of Singapore which demonizes Lee's opponents on a daily basis. In desperation to continue singing the same tune, Lee takes the foreign press to court to shut them up. But whether they are shut up or not, in the end, the effect on Singaporeans is just the opposite. All the more they disbelieve Lee and believe that the truth lies in his victims, not with Lee.
What is left is one thing and one thing alone. Fear. Fear to criticize. Fear to complain. Fear to speak your mind. You end up being a skilled exponent of "doublespeak" of Orwell's 1984. That is to say something when you believe something else. To say that Singapore has the rule of law, when you know it does not. To say that Dr. Chee is a crook, when you know he isn't.
I cannot see how this place can go on like this for long. The educated have already seen the dishonesty in this whole thing. So they pack up and leave for the west, particularly for Australia. They can afford to leave. They are English educated with tertiary education. They can go anywhere they want, so they leave.
The average man without a tertiary education may not see this, and so he may stay. But such citizens are not the essential workforce that Singapore needs. What they need is the brains for leadership. But alas, the brains know the truth and the truth is not conducive to Lee Kuan Yew.
I do not believe that Singapore can be governed this day and age by fear alone. As you can see, the government comes down very hard on critics by imprisoning them, impoverishing them and bankrupting them. Yet all this punishment is failing to deter more and more young men from coming out and openly condemning this dictatorial regime.
What will happen is this. As Lee finds that his critics increase in number, he will increase the punishments meted out to them. But I cannot see this working for him. In the end he will alienate even more Singaporeans to a point where they will not take this lying down and then there must be change. It is inevitable.
He has to know that 1953 colonial tactics cannot work in 2008 Singapore. The good news is, he does not appear to know this.
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/
Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.
Hello from Fremont, near San Francisco, California.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am back in my office in Fremont, Northern California. I arrived at San Francisco airport on May 26, 2008 in the evening. Major problems caused by being forced to stay in Singapore for 6 months. Unpaid office rent. Unpaid mortgage. Disconnected telephone lines. Disconnected home utilities. Massive credit card debts.
But I tell you what. I am breathing. I am alive. And I am in America. Where anything is possible. And what is most important, I intend to continue with even greater resolve to expose the dictatorship which is what Singapore is. If Lee Kuan Yew thought even for a moment that he has broken my spirit, he can't be more wrong.
In a way, Lee Kuan Yew has done me a great service. Before my arrest and imprisonment, this blog was well read. But after that he has made it a must read, for a great many. And furthermore, it has given it international publicity. And he has given me credibility to an extent I did not have before.
After my release from prison on the 20th of November 2008, I was allowed to remain in Singapore for 5 days to get my personal affairs sorted out before I left. A condition of being allowed to remain in Singapore for 5 days was that I did not interfere in Singapore's domestic politics. I am prohibited from entering Singapore again unless I have prior permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In effect, I will never be able to return to Singapore.
But even if I was given permission to return it would be unwise to do it, since I could be arrested again under one or more of the litany of laws in place to silence criticism. And for sure, I am not looking forward to more time in a Singapore prison.
I have many matters to take care of presently leaving little time to write blog posts. But Lee Kuan Yew and his government can take this from me now. I am defying the undertaking that I gave in court on September 12, 2008 when I admitted being in contempt of court. I am withdrawing the admission and repeating what I have always said that the Singapore judiciary is corrupt for being a stooge to Lee Kuan Yew and his government. I withdraw all apologies that were given in Court 15, Subordinate Court Singapore to Judge Leslie Chew. The only reason for my apology was a desire to get out of prison as soon as possible. They brought these new contempt charges while I was incarcerated in prison, with only 8 days to go for my release. If I had not apologised as Lee Kuan Yew wanted, there was the possibility that I could be kept in prison for a further period of up to 6 months, according to the law code section.
I had also given an undertaking to remove the 2 blog posts, of Sept 1, 2008 and Sept 6, 2008 which referred to my trial and conviction before Judge James Leong in the Subordinate Courts for disorderly behaviour and insulting a policemen, charges entirely made up by the police to discredit me. I will be re-posting those 2 blog posts and stand by every word that I had written in them.
For the moment goodbye. Too much personal work to catch up. The telephone, the rent, the mortgage etc etc. But I will be blogging again soonest. Have no fear.
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/
Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.
I am back in my office in Fremont, Northern California. I arrived at San Francisco airport on May 26, 2008 in the evening. Major problems caused by being forced to stay in Singapore for 6 months. Unpaid office rent. Unpaid mortgage. Disconnected telephone lines. Disconnected home utilities. Massive credit card debts.
But I tell you what. I am breathing. I am alive. And I am in America. Where anything is possible. And what is most important, I intend to continue with even greater resolve to expose the dictatorship which is what Singapore is. If Lee Kuan Yew thought even for a moment that he has broken my spirit, he can't be more wrong.
In a way, Lee Kuan Yew has done me a great service. Before my arrest and imprisonment, this blog was well read. But after that he has made it a must read, for a great many. And furthermore, it has given it international publicity. And he has given me credibility to an extent I did not have before.
After my release from prison on the 20th of November 2008, I was allowed to remain in Singapore for 5 days to get my personal affairs sorted out before I left. A condition of being allowed to remain in Singapore for 5 days was that I did not interfere in Singapore's domestic politics. I am prohibited from entering Singapore again unless I have prior permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In effect, I will never be able to return to Singapore.
But even if I was given permission to return it would be unwise to do it, since I could be arrested again under one or more of the litany of laws in place to silence criticism. And for sure, I am not looking forward to more time in a Singapore prison.
I have many matters to take care of presently leaving little time to write blog posts. But Lee Kuan Yew and his government can take this from me now. I am defying the undertaking that I gave in court on September 12, 2008 when I admitted being in contempt of court. I am withdrawing the admission and repeating what I have always said that the Singapore judiciary is corrupt for being a stooge to Lee Kuan Yew and his government. I withdraw all apologies that were given in Court 15, Subordinate Court Singapore to Judge Leslie Chew. The only reason for my apology was a desire to get out of prison as soon as possible. They brought these new contempt charges while I was incarcerated in prison, with only 8 days to go for my release. If I had not apologised as Lee Kuan Yew wanted, there was the possibility that I could be kept in prison for a further period of up to 6 months, according to the law code section.
I had also given an undertaking to remove the 2 blog posts, of Sept 1, 2008 and Sept 6, 2008 which referred to my trial and conviction before Judge James Leong in the Subordinate Courts for disorderly behaviour and insulting a policemen, charges entirely made up by the police to discredit me. I will be re-posting those 2 blog posts and stand by every word that I had written in them.
For the moment goodbye. Too much personal work to catch up. The telephone, the rent, the mortgage etc etc. But I will be blogging again soonest. Have no fear.
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/
Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.
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