Originally posted by wonderamazement:why public transport not free? want to encourage people not to clog the roads then give free public transport la!
Umm, as MM already said there is no free lunch in this world and his son lhl said that he is not making Singapore a welfare state. This explains why there is no free transport.
IN China, citizens 70 of age and above are allowed free travel on public transport.
the idea isn't about "welfare" but revolves around the purpose of encouraging people to take public transport and reduction of carbon emissions... maybe not so extreme, probably have a once a month thing that goes "Free Public Transport" Day or something...
Originally posted by wonderamazement:the idea isn't about "welfare" but revolves around the purpose of encouraging people to take public transport and reduction of carbon emissions... maybe not so extreme, probably have a once a month thing that goes "Free Public Transport" Day or something...
They will not wanna lose business. Money is all that matters, it is sad but this is fact. Money over environment and welfare.
Originally posted by Atobe:
Spot on.The weakness is not about their livelihood as without their present political positions, they would have already harvested sufficiently all that they need through 42 years since coming into political power in 1957.
The No 1 law firm would have struck gold vein during the late 1960s through the 1980s, when the impression was that using the No 1 law firm would help expedite the completion of the legal documentation for the HDB purchased.
This impression was allowed to fester in the minds of the thousands of applicants that made a bee-line to No 1 Law Firm after getting their papers from the HDB.
The insecurity can be seen in the violent reaction to any viable and credible political challengers that appear on the political scene, and one will see the creative best in the methods employed to "fix" these challengers.
It was the inexperience of LHL during the 2006 Election Rally when he let out the truth that with more Opposition Members elected, he will have to spend more time to think of ways to "fix" them - shocking revelation from a son learning well from the Father !!!!
What could possibly be the cause for such insecurity - considering the claims of the existence of a righteous, honest, incorruptible and morally superior government since 1957 ?
Are there some darker secrets that should not see the light of day ?
As the archives of the British Colonial Office begin to open its library of historical records, researchers have discovered political gemstones that revealed the truth of the events that transpired.
This is in stark contrast to LKY's insistence that Lim Chin Siong is a Communist, even as no proof has been offered.
Ironically, we now have ‘the records of the Colonial Office archives revealing the many disgraceful politicking that occurred to grab the political center stage and the powers that come with it’(*2).
It will surprise the uninitiated that the ‘History of the PAP, and the History of Singapore's attempt at Self-Rule - had involved Lim Chin Siong – who was also a key member with LKY in the Singapore delegation led by David Marshall to negotiate for Singapore Self-Rule in 1953 (3)
When secrecy is deliberately and diligently pursued and enforced, one can only conclude that the religious pursuit for such a policy to be enforced can only mean that there are more to it then meets the eye.
Hi,
I remember the stories surrounding Lim. Heard he was forced in live in exile in England, was tortured almost to death while in Singapore jail.
Old timers are pissed big time with LKY because of his extra cruel and low-class tactics. Even though politics are understandably dirty, his tactics were off the chart apparently. Can you provide some insights?
But I also feel that he has done much for the country, and this is where I often take a slightly different stance from my seniors. Maybe, I feel the way I feel, as I didn't have to see it for myself during the early years, before I was born.
Originally posted by Lionoasis:
Hi,I remember the stories surrounding Lim. Heard he was forced in live in exile in England, was tortured almost to death while in Singapore jail.
Old timers are pissed big time with LKY because of his extra cruel and low-class tactics. Even though politics are understandably dirty, his tactics were off the chart apparently. Can you provide some insights?
But I also feel that he has done much for the country, and this is where I often take a slightly different stance from my seniors. Maybe, I feel the way I feel, as I didn't have to see it for myself during the early years, before I was born.
Lim was not forced to live in exile but offered to exile himself as he could no longer tolerate the solitary confinement no contact with anyone in prison 24/7 - and obviously no contact with the outside world except for the irregularly assigned day when one family member is allowed to see him.
The torture with solitary confinement was more mental that physical.
However, Chia Thye Poh, who was incarcerated for 32 years - had described that during the initial period of incarceration under the Internal Security Act, he was subjected to intense interrogation to obtain a confession to a list of accusations. His stubborn resistance and acts of defiance were met with physical assaults and abuse - and according to Chia, it involved sudden sharp slaps across the face, to lightning punch into the stomach area, to being stripped to the bone and given only a pair of thin cotton shorts while in a room fitted with several airconditioned units blasting at low temperatures, and a spotlight that prevent him from seeing his tormentors, who take turn to perform their assigned tasks to break his spirit.
This is followed by change in the pattern of treatment from abuse to long period of quiet and silent mental depredation in solitary confinement in a small cell with a bright bulb being left on 24/7.
Lim could not take the treatment and offered to exile himself to England.
To Chia's credit, he was inspired by a Chinese poem composed by a previous tenant in the cell, and which was carved faintly on the wall of the cell - "Ten years behind bars Never too late Thousands of ordeals My spirit steeled".
The most cruel treatment that Chia received was that at irregular intervals, Chia was brought on a tour of Singapore City to taunt him with the prospect of "freedom" - if only he will sign a confession admitting to the list of charges that he was accused of having committed.
Chia refused the terms of release and demanded that he be put on trial and have all the evidence produced in an open court.
Unlike all the other ISA detainees who were released after a highly publicised TV confessions - it was a surprise that after 32 years of incarceration, Chia was suddenly released without his confession nor was he required to sign an undertaking that he will not resume contacts with the Communists Party whom he was accused of being a member.
He was quietly released without any fanfare, except for the conditions imposed by the ISD that prevent him from exercising his rights as a citizen to participate in politics, and disallowing him to establish any contacts with his past political associates.
This is a crime against a single individual that this PAP Government will have to answer for, and the greater culprit will have to be LKY for instigating the injustice that befell on Chia.
You would have read the bitter experience in the ISD lockup of the previous Solicitor-General of Singapore Mr Francis Seow who was persecuted by LKY using the weight of the PAP Government machinery to flatten the threat posed by Francis Seow, 'Tang Liang Hong’ (*1) and J.B. Jeyeratnam - all joining forces to challenge the PAP in the 1997 Election.
The Long Nightmare as a Political Prisoner in Singapore (*2)
Chia Thye Poh – A Man Who Never Gave In (*3)
Marxist Conspirator – A Detainee remembers (*4)
“Lim Chin Siong vs Lee Kuan Yew : The true and shocking history – Part 1: Our man” (*6)
“Lim Chin Siong vs Lee Kuan Yew – Part 2: Get him!” (*7)
“Lim Chin Siong vs Lee Kuan Yew – Part 4: What they teach us in School.” (*9)
Lim Chin Siong, the man who was nearly our PM – Part 5 (*10)
Originally posted by Atobe:
Lim was not forced to live in exile but offered to exile himself as he could no longer tolerate the solitary confinement no contact with anyone in prison 24/7 - and obviously no contact with the outside world except for the irregularly assigned day when one family member is allowed to see him.The torture with solitary confinement was more mental that physical.
However, Chia Thye Poh, who was incarcerated for 32 years - had described that during the initial period of incarceration under the Internal Security Act, he was subjected to intense interrogation to obtain a confession to a list of accusations. His stubborn resistance and acts of defiance were met with physical assaults and abuse - and according to Chia, it involved sudden sharp slaps across the face, to lightning punch into the stomach area, to being stripped to the bone and given only a pair of thin cotton shorts while in a room fitted with several airconditioned units blasting at low temperatures, and a spotlight that prevent him from seeing his tormentors, who take turn to perform their assigned tasks to break his spirit.
This is followed by change in the pattern of treatment from abuse to long period of quiet and silent mental depredation in solitary confinement in a small cell with a bright bulb being left on 24/7.
Lim could not take the treatment and offered to exile himself to England.
To Chia's credit, he was inspired by a Chinese poem composed by a previous tenant in the cell, and which was carved faintly on the wall of the cell - "Ten years behind bars Never too late Thousands of ordeals My spirit steeled".
The most cruel treatment that Chia received was that at irregular intervals, Chia was brought on a tour of Singapore City to taunt him with the propect of "freedom" - if only he will sign a confession admitting to the list of charges that he was accused of having committed.
Chia refused the terms of release and demanded that he be put on trial and have all the evidence produced in an open court.
Unlike all the other ISA detainees who were released after a highly publicised TV confessions - it was a surprise that after 32 years of incarceration, Chia was suddenly released without his confession nor was he required to sign an undertaking that he will not resume contacts with the Communists Party whom he was accused of being a member.
He was quietly released without any fanfare, except for the conditions imposed by the ISD that prevent him from exercising his rights as a citizen to participate in politics, and disallowing him to establish any contacts with his past political associates.
This is a crime against a single individual that this PAP Government will have to answer for, and the greater culprit will have to be LKY for instigating the injustice that befell on Chia.
You would have read the bitter experience in the ISD lockup of the previous Solicitor-General of Singapore Mr Francis Seow, who decided to challenge the PAP in the 1996 Election with Tang Liang Hong and JBJ that nearly got them a Parliamentary seat for the Constituency of Cheng San.
The Long Nightmare as a Political Prisoner in Singapore (*1)
Chia Thye Poh – A Man Who Never Gave In (*2)
Marxist Conspirator – A Detainee remembers (*3)
“Lim Chin Siong vs Lee Kuan Yew : The true and shocking history – Part 1: Our man”
“Lim Chin Siong vs Lee Kuan Yew – Part 2: Get him!”
“Lim Chin Siong vs Lee Kuan Yew : The true and shocking history – Part 3: The end of Lim Chin Siong”
“Lim Chin Siong vs Lee Kuan Yew – Part 4: What they teach us in School.”
Lim Chin Siong, the man who was nearly our PM – Part 5
Hi Atobe,
Thanks for the links again. I will take time to read them between today and tomorrow as there is quite a lot of information.
Before I take yet another "educational tour", I think for that election in 1996, though the PAP won most of the seats, the total votes cast for PAP vs All Opposition were almost equal. Guess this is why they feel very nervous.
Why he - Seow - got suit and found guilty for defamation was mysterious as well. I think all he said was "I have lodged a police report", to me it was a very neutral statement and a fact, nothing wrong there.
Originally posted by Atobe:
Lim was not forced to live in exile but offered to exile himself as he could no longer tolerate the solitary confinement no contact with anyone in prison 24/7 - and obviously no contact with the outside world except for the irregularly assigned day when one family member is allowed to see him.The torture with solitary confinement was more mental that physical.
However, Chia Thye Poh, who was incarcerated for 32 years - had described that during the initial period of incarceration under the Internal Security Act, he was subjected to intense interrogation to obtain a confession to a list of accusations. His stubborn resistance and acts of defiance were met with physical assaults and abuse - and according to Chia, it involved sudden sharp slaps across the face, to lightning punch into the stomach area, to being stripped to the bone and given only a pair of thin cotton shorts while in a room fitted with several airconditioned units blasting at low temperatures, and a spotlight that prevent him from seeing his tormentors, who take turn to perform their assigned tasks to break his spirit.
This is followed by change in the pattern of treatment from abuse to long period of quiet and silent mental depredation in solitary confinement in a small cell with a bright bulb being left on 24/7.
Lim could not take the treatment and offered to exile himself to England.
To Chia's credit, he was inspired by a Chinese poem composed by a previous tenant in the cell, and which was carved faintly on the wall of the cell - "Ten years behind bars Never too late Thousands of ordeals My spirit steeled".
The most cruel treatment that Chia received was that at irregular intervals, Chia was brought on a tour of Singapore City to taunt him with the propect of "freedom" - if only he will sign a confession admitting to the list of charges that he was accused of having committed.
Chia refused the terms of release and demanded that he be put on trial and have all the evidence produced in an open court.
Unlike all the other ISA detainees who were released after a highly publicised TV confessions - it was a surprise that after 32 years of incarceration, Chia was suddenly released without his confession nor was he required to sign an undertaking that he will not resume contacts with the Communists Party whom he was accused of being a member.
He was quietly released without any fanfare, except for the conditions imposed by the ISD that prevent him from exercising his rights as a citizen to participate in politics, and disallowing him to establish any contacts with his past political associates.
This is a crime against a single individual that this PAP Government will have to answer for, and the greater culprit will have to be LKY for instigating the injustice that befell on Chia.
You would have read the bitter experience in the ISD lockup of the previous Solicitor-General of Singapore Mr Francis Seow who was persecuted by LKY using the weight of the PAP Government machinery to flatten the threat posed by Francis Seow, 'Tang Liang Hong’ (*1) and J.B. Jeyeratnam - all joining forces to challenge the PAP in the 1997 Election.
The Long Nightmare as a Political Prisoner in Singapore (*2)
Chia Thye Poh – A Man Who Never Gave In (*3)
Marxist Conspirator – A Detainee remembers (*4)
“Lim Chin Siong vs Lee Kuan Yew : The true and shocking history – Part 1: Our man” (*6)
“Lim Chin Siong vs Lee Kuan Yew – Part 2: Get him!” (*7)
“Lim Chin Siong vs Lee Kuan Yew – Part 4: What they teach us in School.” (*9)
Lim Chin Siong, the man who was nearly our PM – Part 5 (*10)
Dear Atobe,
I have sent you a message in your mail box, appreciate if you could attend to it. Thank you.
Originally posted by Lionoasis:Hi Atobe,
Thanks for the links again. I will take time to read them between today and tomorrow as there is quite a lot of information.
Before I take yet another "educational tour", I think for that election in 1996, though the PAP won most of the seats, the total votes cast for PAP vs All Opposition were almost equal. Guess this is why they feel very nervous.
Why he - Seow - got suit and found guilty for defamation was mysterious as well. I think all he said was "I have lodged a police report", to me it was a very neutral statement and a fact, nothing wrong there.
It was not Seow who got sued, but JBJ - while separate actions were taken against Francis Seow and Tang Liang Hong.
An abstract from the report - "The Politics of Defamation in Singapore" -
Facts of the Jeyaretnam Case
On December 21st 1996, the government of Singapore called a general election. Five candidates, including Jeyaretnam and Tang, contested the parliamentary constituency of Cheng San GRC on behalf of the Worker's Party.
The opposition chose not to contest a majority of seats in the election, thereby ensuring that the governing party would be re-elected. The prime minister believed Tang to be unsuitable for election to parliament because he regarded Tang as a Chinese chauvinist, and he believed that Tang harboured anti-Christian views.
Goh publicise his views during the campaign and his remarks were published in numerous newspaper articles. Tang responded by sending a letter to the prime minister complaining about the defamatory allegations, and alleging that they were intended to limit his chances of electoral success. He demanded a retraction and an apology. Goh responded by repeating his allegations and affirmed that he would continue his attacks.
Tang gave an interview to the Straits Times newspaper. In this interview he said that he was contemplating legal action against Goh and Lee Kuan Yew, a senior government minister, and further, that he was planning to file a police report complaining that they had committed a criminal offence by concocting lies about him and defaming his character.
On December 31st, Goh's solicitors wrote to Tang demanding an apology and a full retraction of the allegations made in the interview with the Straits Times. Predictably, no apology was forthcoming.
In fact, on the following night, at the last rally of the campaign, while Jeyaretnam was speaking to the crowd, Tang approached him and placed some documents before him on the podium. Jeyaretnam glanced at the documents and continued speaking.
A few minutes later, Tang again approached Jeyaretnam and pointed to the documents on the podium and appeared to say something. Jeyaretnam then uttered the following, words:
"And finally, Mr Tang Liang Hong has just placed before me two reports he has made to the police against, you know Mr Goh Chok Tong and his people."
The following day, Goh contended that the utterance of these words had defamed him, because the words imputed that he was guilty of the offences of criminal defamation and conspiracy.
In essence, Goh charged that Jeyaretnam had implied in his remarks to the crowd that Goh was a criminal by telling them of the existence of two reports that Tang had submitted to the police.
Goh resorted to his solicitors to demand a complete apology and compensation for damages for the defamation of his character. Jeyaretnam refused to comply with these demands (although he did offer an apology) and the defamation action was launched.
It was interesting to note that - ‘Trial judge Rajendran J found Jeyaretnam liable and ordered him to pay "derisory" damages of SGD 20,000. However, upon the plaintiff's appeal, the damages were raised to SGD 100,000 plus SGD 20,000 in court costs. Rajendran was later dismissed from the bench.[11] (*1)
The dismissal of Judge Rajendran bear some similar actions against a Senior District Judge in 1986, when JBJ was aquitted of all charges by the Judge, but on appeal by the Public Prosecutor the dismissal was over-ruled; leaving JBJ to appeal to the Privy Council.
The absurdity of the law suits instituted by LKY and the PAP, and the manner in which the Judiciary can twist logic on its head has befuddled the minds of legal experts from the Commonwealth Countries, who are familiar with English Laws which form the basis of the Singapore Laws.
The entire acts of political abuse on the judiciary process can be further seen in the total arrogance in LKY's acts of abuse against even his own statements made earlier to uphold the practise of Singapore law to high standards.
LKY had stated that for the Singapore Legal System is to be held to high standards, the trial by jury shall be abolished - as he believed that a jury of laymen acting as peers to the accused cannot be more effecitve in the application of law then the learned judges.
Furthermore, as a safeguard - LKY assured that with the final process of review resting at the Privy Council in England, there can be little default in justice being administered in Singapore.
Sadly, when JBJ managed to win an appeal at the Privy Council which had vindicated the decision of Michael Khoo's dismissal of the charges against JBJ - the piqued LKY immediately set about to have HIS Parliament to legislate that the Privy Council was no longer relevant to Singapore Justice System, as the Privy Council was not familiar with the culture and social values of Singapore and Singaporeans.
To add insult to injury, and to rub salt into the wounds, LKY renegaded on his boast to JBJ that if the Privy Council should make any findings in favor of JBJ, then LKY will personally seek to have a Presidential Pardon for JBJ.
It was another hollow promise from a politician full of boastful arrogance.
This is Singapore Justice as prescribed and designed by LKY for Singaporeans.
Originally posted by Atobe:
It was not Seow who got sued, but JBJ - while separate actions were taken against Francis Seow and Tang Liang Hong.
It was interesting to note that - ‘Trial judge Rajendran J found Jeyaretnam liable and ordered him to pay "derisory" damages of SGD 20,000. However, upon the plaintiff's appeal, the damages were raised to SGD 100,000 plus SGD 20,000 in court costs. Rajendran was later dismissed from the bench.[11] (*1)
The dismissal of Judge Rajendran bear some similar actions against a Senior District Judge in 1986, when JBJ was aquitted of all charges by the Judge, but on appeal by the Public Prosecutor the dismissal was over-ruled; leaving JBJ to appeal to the Privy Council.
The absurdity of the law suits instituted by LKY and the PAP, and the manner in which the Judiciary can twist logic on its head has befuddled the minds of legal experts from the Commonwealth Countries, who are familiar with English Laws which form the basis of the Singapore Laws.
The entire acts of political abuse on the judiciary process can be further seen in the total arrogance in LKY's acts of abuse against even his own statements made earlier to uphold the practise of Singapore law to high standards.
LKY had stated that for the Singapore Legal System is to be held to high standards, the trial by jury shall be abolished - as he believed that a jury of laymen acting as peers to the accused cannot be more effecitve in the application of law then the learned judges.
Furthermore, as a safeguard - LKY assured that with the final process of review resting at the Privy Council in England, there can be little default in justice being administered in Singapore.
Sadly, when JBJ managed to win an appeal at the Privy Council which had vindicated the decision of Michael Khoo's dismissal of the charges against JBJ - the piqued LKY immediately set about to have HIS Parliament to legislate that the Privy Council was no longer relevant to Singapore Justice System, as the Privy Council was not familiar with the culture and social values of Singapore and Singaporeans.
To add insult to injury, and to rub salt into the wounds, LKY renegaded on his boast to JBJ that if the Privy Council should make any findings in favor of JBJ, then LKY will personally seek to have a Presidential Pardon for JBJ.
It was another hollow promise from a politician full of boastful arrogance.
This is Singapore Justice as prescribed and designed by LKY for Singaporeans.
Thank you for correcting me, I had my facts wrong.