Rule of Law or Rule by Law
May 11th, 2023 | 
Author: I know it’s a little unusual to celebrate my lack of career progression in a month marked by the celebration of labour, but ever since the Attorney General’s Chamber (AGC) decided to double up as the defense counsel for Mr. Karl Liew for lying under oath, I’ve been blessing the twist of fate that helped me escape from being a prisoner of any given profession.
What do I mean by this? The answer is that too many of us tend to see the world through the eyes of our given profession. We forget that our profession exists to serve a wider business and social goal. Sometimes, we get so caught up in being a member of a profession that we forget that the world is greater than our profession.
This is, I believe, the most charitable explanation as to why the AGC made the decision to take on the role as Karl Liew’s defense attorney on the charges of lying in court. This single decision has made every other prospection look ridiculous because whenever the rest of us hear of someone else getting slapped by the authorities, we’re bound to start calculating and asking ourselves “Why are you throwing the house at this guy who did something that didn’t actually harm people but kissing this other guy on the hand when he went out of his way to do something that did actual harm to someone else (I’d say 26 months in jail is a hefty price to pay for a crime one didn’t commit).
The most recent example of this, was the story of how the National Environment Agency (NEA) fined a 62-year-old man S$27,600 for selling food without a license. More on the story can found at: [LINK]
Nobody is disputing that licensing for hawkers is wrong. We accept that there is a need to maintain certain standards of hygiene in the good industry. Nobody wants a scenario where mass breaks of food poisoning take place. The license that hawkers need in order to practice their trade is our way of ensuring that there are some standards. Nobody is disputing that the NEA had the right to fine the man for not doing this paper work in getting the license.
However, what people have an issue with is with the comparison. The AGC were willing to let Mr. Karl Liew off with a S$5,000 fine for lying to a public official and in court in order to send his former maid to jail. Even if you take Mr. Liew’s father and family fortune out of the equation, the fine that the AGC wanted to impose of Mr. Karl Liew is not punitive nor would it have endangered Mr. Liew’s ability to make a living. As a well to do Indonesian businessman I had to deal with, once said “It’s a speeding ticket that needs to be paid.”
By comparison the fine of S$27,600 imposed on the hawker is punitive. Think of the number of roasted the chestnuts the man would have had to sell in order to pay the fine in addition to what he’d need to sell in order to pay business cost and to survive.
No matter how you look at it, one cannot help but feel that the government is keen to let the influential off, even when they do things that hurt innocent people but quite happy to throw the book at ordinary people who overlook the rules that people in offices impose on their ability to make an honest living.
What can be done? The answer should probably lie in a look at the basic purpose of our system of punishments. Shouldn’t the purpose of legal punishments to ensure that certain things that obviously harm people and by definition the rest of society don’t happen again? Surely the ideal situation is to punish the crime but allow the person to continue being economically productive.
How many tissues does he need to sell to make ends meet?
This is particularly important when you are looking at a situation where there is a growing number of old people who are unable to make end meet. Singapore argues that it is a society that does not believe in “welfarism” and making its people “soft.” However, we have to ask if we’re doing something else – making so many rules that it becomes difficult, if not impossible for old people to make a living.
There is also the need to ensure that the general population understands that the rules apply evenly to everyone, no matter how rich and powerful they are. The Karl Liew’s of this world have shown that they are happy to crush people using the system even if they have to lie and cheat to get their way.
We consistently sell the point that we are a country that has “rule of law.” However, the AGC’s decision to deduct Karl Liew’s pocket money for going out of his way to harm someone, the general public is inevitably going to compare this against the punishment issued to everyone else by any other government agency and question this. They will inevitably ask if we have “rule of law” or “rule by law.”
For example, we talk about the need to execute people for drugs in order to “deter” drug crimes and use. It is argued that we need to “deter” through punishment regardless of the “criminal’s” social status. However, this clearly does not apply to well to do criminals. Case in point – Karl Liew. Every time a “harsh” punishment is issued, we’re going to be led to the fact that the AGC was perfectly willing to let someone who committed the text book definition of perjury in order to send an innocent person to jail by taking away their pocket money. Let’s ask ourselves if this is something that should be asked in a country that prides itself for having “rule of law.”
Tang Li
*Although I’ve been based mainly in Singapore for nearly two decades, I’ve had the privilege of being able to meet people who have crossed borders and cultures. I’ve befriended ministers and ambassadors and worked on projects involving a former head of state. Yet, at the same time, I’ve had the privilege of befriending migrant labourers and former convicts. All of them have a story to tell. All of them add to the fabric of life. I hope to express the stories that inspire us to create life as it should be.
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License or licen$e?
Food court high class got license n gradings like *A*.
But i notice *A* graded hawkers oso unhygienic.
No follow-up checks on regular basis.
So what got lucen$e n Grade A?.
LPPL REALLY!
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I really hope that the experts of crowdfunding like the cult leader, Mr Leong, Roy and maybe even Terry would help to organise a crowdfund to help the oldies but goodies uncle pay off his fine.
These experts have always reached their targetted amount, so it should not be an issue.
What do you think?
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Singaporean are a bunch of idiots.
Crowd fund this, crowd fund that, crowd fund the unjustified fines so that the authoritarian state can upscale the fine further.
Illegal hawker fined this much, but what is the cost for reckless driving?
Beating the red lights and cause accidents?
How much fine for discriminate against local employment which causes more oldies on the streets begging, suicide, and conduct petty crimes?
The old uncle should just not pay a single cent and go changi for free shelter and food and medical care. When you have no economic value, this is the best option.
Come out, do it again.
Free food, shelter and medical care!
If we come to face reality and take the bull by its horn, can changi house 500,000 for petty offenses? May be changi need to build the first in world. 40 storey accommodation.
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I believe the judge in Karl Liew said even though Parti got acquitted, he cannot overlook the fact that Karl Liew did lie so 2 weeks jail. SO can we say hawker no license, but no known case of anyone dying eating his chestnuts, so can we do a haircut and just fine him $200 for not getting a license only.
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If you are a no name like 99% of the population you get harsh jail time and/or a hefty fine which they know you will have a big problem paying. If you are influential you get off lightly with a slap on the wrist.
The infamy of the Keppel 6 will always haunt PAP and will always be brought up when a corruption case is published. It just makes a mockery of PAP’s lies about all being equal under the court of law so no one will believe it from now on.
But what will really matter is if these issues will cost PAP dearly in terms of vote share. Should voters be angry enough to make this an election issue then PAP would be forced to reopen the cases again to appease voters. Just like how ministers’ obscene pay was (grudgingly) cut in 2011 after they lost their first ever GRC in addition to a couple of non performing dinosaurs being demoted to MPs instead of still remaining as good for nothing ministers with fancy titles.
So it really is all about vote share. PAP won’t bother too much if they don’t lose too many turkeys but should they lose more than what they planned then they would have no choice but to change things they do not wish to.
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Sad for those who has fallen between the cracks.The high COL an inflation has hit them badly.
Singapore is a rich country without a heart.
Pity the down and trodden.
Hope MOF will do more for them.
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We MUST investigate the background of the down and trodden.
Did the down and trodden brought this upon themselves screwing around when they are young?
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=man+caught+with+mistress
18搖 (Old Chi Ko Pek KTV)
https://shorturl.at/vEKV3
fake gentleman before camera, chi ko pek behind camera
https://bit.ly/3WBRaZS
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There are many CIA agents and CCP agents inciting and instigating anti PAP feeling.
Do not fall for their tricks and be their canon fodders like stopid Hong Kees and Zelensky.
Man questioned Martin Lee fine dining with pastor
https://bit.ly/429oISn
Shout the loudest but hide when war starts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3LNHBeY7xo
Please download/share these videos to your friends and not be canon fodders for Americunt/Chinacunt agent.
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So what Leong, Roy and Terry have reached their targeted amount ?
See money eyes open super big big. They will keep quiet and kept the change claiming it as their overtime pay.
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Chinacunt had set bad example talking back to their Americunt ma$ter.
Now many cuntries are following.
when president kagame shut down white journalists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEcIf2pahic
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The question is: Whose rule of law?
Your Americunt Ma$ter In Money We Tru$t bully also never follow law just like CCP bandits.
so what freedom of navigation Americunt is talking about?
https://hir.harvard.edu/hypocri-sea-the-united-states-failure-to-join-the-un-convention-on-the-law-of-the-sea-2/
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What you should be asking is:
What causes a 62 yr old senior to ply this trade of selling roasted chestnut on the streets, braving the weather, braving the travel, braving being caught, be fined and jailed?
Why don’t he does some other illegal trades to make him more money to balance out risk he took?
Think, how much one has to pay to be LEGAL hawker?
And as a business, being a hawker after all those COSTs, is RISK-FREE?
Damn if you do, damn if you don’t.
Singapore has progress towards a stage where things no longer makes equitable sense.
What is the crime for mis-manage billions of dollars in nation’s sovereignty funds? NONE. It’s just honest-mistakes.
Are you going to ask another question stating some skewed justifications?
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All I can say is if you are one of “those people” who was lucky enough to even know they HAD some sort of passion, grow it with or without education, and then find a job in their field, COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!! I have a good sense that the vast majority of people work at whatever job is available without the luxury of choice. Capitalism is designed to produce entrepreneurs and workers. So how demoralizing when our ‘striving to be better’ is spit upon. When the symbols of justice are transformed into an insult, then we are all demeaned and the magnitude of justice is the inverse of the effect of money on the outcome.
Either we have Law, or we have Tribalism. The need for empathy not be bounded within circles of rationality and law. It must be seen outside the framework of law because law works after state formation has occurred; another problem with Govt. is the way they emphasize capitalism’s social productivity without mentioning capital’s consistent need to sustain itself at the expense of curtailing the rights of some sectors of the population. This is the basis for the “plight of the marginalized”. Rule of law is a myth; it is propaganda.
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MAYBE this oldies but goodies uncle was merely bored and wanted to do some exercise (according to one Tan dunno simi).
Unfortunately, the uncle probably picked the wrong place to do his exercise, he should have picked Hong Lim Park, then he won’t kenna NEA liao.
Since this case has been compared with BILLIONAIRE’s son Karl, I wonder if the AGC will also be helping this uncle to make a plea or submit a review request to NEA on his behalf.
What do you think?
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It is easy peasy to bash the weak n poor than to duly punish the RICH N POEERFOOL$.
There are clear-cut examples,glaring ones!
Even when it is the poor n needy who needs help ,the G says cannot do so as not to *burden our young with heavier tax burden*???
But when taking out $100 Billion to give to well-to-do sgs n FTs,the G has had ZERO HESITATION?
Suddenly,the young sgs are not burdened anymore?
What is TALENT IN PUBLIC SECTOR FOR IF NOT TO BALANCE THE GREED OF PRIVATE SECTOR TALENT$?
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62-year-old man fined S$27,600 for withholding profits from gamen by selling food and keeping NEA out of the loop.
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Kaiju
Until there is an overall change in government one can only play their game. All what you say is right. But that is the situation in Singapore now. Until the 61% have the guts to change the G. we can’t talk about different ideas. However the poor hawker also needs a different set of skills to do a KOM kind of job.
I am sure you read the activist Jonavan lament the lack of activism in Sg as long as PAP is in power. Mean while we can only suggest work arounds. It is not skewed justifications.
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Kw Lak man fined 27k for trying to make ends meet, which also is also a public service (Iam hard up of eating Kaw Lak). Karl Liew living in luxury with evil to send the maid to jail 5k.
Even LKY would not do this injustice!
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Since the guy looking after law is NOT DOING HIS JOB, remove him.
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Your point is well taken. I missed the good old chestnuts roasted in ‘piping hot aromatic coffee beans’; road-sides, fragrantly-starched burnt ‘orh luak’ (fried oyster omelette); black char kway teow with lots of ‘cockles’ and wet soft chai tow kway in thick sauced pieces.
Our forebears faced true existential challenges and real suffering. Compared to them this generation just a bunch of spoiled brats looking for ever new ways to be offended. “If you look at the world and look at the problems, it’s usually old people, usually old men, not getting out of the way”. I think this quote from Obama sums up a lot of the frustration people have with older generations, especially in government.
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Old people get out of the way?
Who never gets old?
Without the old folks,how do young punks get here?
This world is becoming more selfish n self-centred; worst of all,people especially the younger ones have NO GRATITUDE.
As for Obama and those who share his errant thinking,they better *hope* they never get old,maybe sell their souls to the Devil in exchange for not growing old.
It would be a better world if world leaders show gratitude especially to the aged.
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Your fan base mostly old coots with silver pubes without critiical thinking. A lot of them too lazy to walk using PMDs jet around like drive Mercedes. Behave like entitled lot on pedestrian paths.
Even those can walk Very easy to spot them because they talk very loud and laugh like idiots.
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Hahaha… these group of people you described are largely opposition supporters and they love to hang around coffee shop or leech on McDonald/Market free wife to watch horse/porn
Yes, you are right. They are lazy and unmotivated and had unrealistic demand such as government must provide everything free so that they don’t need to work or upgrade.
And we had one such person here below.
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No lah, they definitely your athletic supporters because they hao lian, cheapo, no humility or basic courtesy.
Like this, those cyclists are a danger to themselves and to the community.
Always in altercations with pedestrians and motorists, the other party is a delivery rider or cyclist. They speed on roads because no speed cameras?
Report LTA, they station the occasional policemen. So one day the cyclist just siam.any use?
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Isn’t that’s the reason why your master got more supporters? I know many women support pap because they want security and someone to provide for them. So they can get money from husband, shove all housework to maids and enjoy kiow ka.
Foreigners also realize this and they adapt very fast.
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Enjoy kiow ka. Do you know what does that signal ?
It signal that everyone, yes everyone want Peace and Prosperity and not War.
Everyone want to have a better lives.
Singapore must outcompete China for more friends by giving out more free scholarship to Central Asia students.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIwrn1nB_sY
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They make use of scholarship, get monthly allowance from your master
every month. Don’t bother to learn English. Mingle with their own kind. Don’t integrate.
They work, serve out bond, buy properties. When the time comes, they cash out and leave for greener pastures.
Any point?
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You can also ask the same question:
Why CCP help Africa built infrastructure for FREE?
Yes, FREE. WHY?
Only the narrow and petty minded does not see the point.
Watch this video carefully and go think…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl3wQTVTPVo
It is soft power!!
Are you ready with your boat? No? Then when you miss the tide, you continue to be stranded. Nothing change.
Huge new opportunities await those who are prepared. Will you be one of them?
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They want to gain access to foreign markets for business purposes? Sure
Is there another way where they don’t have to give jobs to foreigners?
What I mean is replace locals with foreign.
Got somebody from Citibank say indians from India are parachuted into senior VP jobs for 20k a month. She said nus cannot do the job? Nus rank higher than India uni. Google it
You can call her petty but everyone acts in own interests.
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Your friend she think NUS graduate is big FCUK right ?
Yes, she is petty and narrow minded.
Why she never complain that:
1 Singaporean Shou Zi Chew took Americunt job in TikTok USA ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shou_Zi_Chew
2. Singaporeans go JB to pump petrol, leech on JB resources and left rubbish behind ?
And you know why Singaporeans are not employable?
Because Singaporeans had poor attitudes, Singaporeans are proactively disengaged (bo chap) and today Singaporean continue to take MC on eve of holiday…
Walk the ground my friend..go experience first hand the appalling bad attitude of Singaporeans.
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@Sporeans Keep Govt Employed and
All anti foreigners Oppies:
Our great PAP had already pass laws to make employer responsible/accountable for foreign degree authenticity.
Since you Oppies always complain that foreigners degree are fake.
So why are your WP Opposition leader / other opposition NOT HELPING you in the following way:
1. Help employer to validate foreigner degree authenticity for FREE?
2. Setup helpline to report foreigners whose degree is questionable for FREE?
You Oppies want our great PAP to work for free, so you Oppies take the lead first.
See, we great PAP supporter is unselfish and has given you the idea.
Now, Oppies over to you…Goh Chok Tong is right.
Always ask Oppies this question: What can Opposition do for me?
Nothing…and nothing
and nothing and nothing except whining and whining
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I was on the bus and the ones with bad attitude are:
Noisy china cunts y’all loudly play phone loud.
Noisy filipinut talk loudly on handphone.
Stupid white people no money for bus fare, yet want to pay by visa. Stupid white guy point here and there to old coot lady the payment terminals. Bus driver stop driving because of them.
Taking bus 20 years ago was pleasant because people are well behaved.
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Notice sheng siong Malaysian staff some got bad attitude. Some Burma also
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Good that you asked. The biggest employer is your grand master flash who owns and runs many companies in spore.
I’ll leave you to fill in the blanks.
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@Spoeeeans R Free Riders
Ask you boss to tell your food delivery riders not to speed on pedestrian paths and harass people by riding close to them.
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