TR EMERITUS

作者:李显涛   一照之下也不必吃惊，因为里外都不是人。 看早报 《“要烧维文和行动党” 男子面簿留言煽动被捕》，不免感叹新加坡的警察部队竟也堕落到这步田地！ 退一万步来讲，即使因为这句简单口号式的言论：“是时候让我们‘焚烧’（burn）维文和人民行动党。让我们团结起来，投票把他们挤出局。”被捉个正着，物证俱在，警方真的能在法庭上控他煽动罪或者意图谋杀的罪名成立吗？这样的逮捕行动，要收的是意在言外的震慑效果，是在大选前的牛刀小试。这本是秘密警察干的事，而新加坡的警方却愿意为了主子而蹚浑水，焚身以火，“警格”还剩多少？就可想而知了。 最好玩是探讨“警方”怎么会知道这件事？好像没有人知道，是因为维文感觉人身受威胁抑或PAP估计总部有被烧的危险，随后当事人报案，警方才介入调查？ 又或者我们的警察部队，有个部门是专门在监控网民对执政者不利的言论，宁可错杀一万也不放走一个？要是这样的话，那么做为纳税人，其实我们有权知道，警察部队把政府给的常年预算的多少投入这个单单维护执政党的运作上？用我们的钱来要全民噤声，这有什么道理？   大马论坛  Read More →

The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) has granted an extension to death row inmate Yong Vui Kong to file his clemency appeal to the President. In a letter on 25 August to Yong’s lawyer, the SPS said, “[In] view of your stated intention to file the said Notice of Appeal in respect of the said matter, we will extend the present time limit for the filing of your client’s fresh Petition for Clemency.” Mr M Ravi, who is acting for Yong, had written to the SPS on 18 August asking for a confirmation about such an extension, in light of Justice Steven Chong’s invitation to the SPS to give Yong more time pending his appeal to the Court on Justice Chong’s 13 August judgement. Yong’s original deadline for filing his Petition for Clemency to the President was 26 August. It was feared that he would be hanged soon after that deadline. The SPS said in its letter that it will inform Mr Ravi of the date within which Mr Ravi should file the clemency appeal. Mr Ravi submitted the Notice of Appeal  with regards to Justice Chong’s judgement at the Court of Appeal today, 25 August. The confirmation of extension comes as a relief to Mr Ravi who had repeatedly asked the SPS for the confirmation since 18 August.   Andrew Loh, TOC  Read More →

Beleaguered Singapore Sports Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan who has caused under heavy fire of late from Singaporeans for bursting the YOG budget by more than three times to a shocking $387 million dollars continued to insist that Singapore is getting "value for money." During an interview with BBC News two weeks ago, he said that he would still bid for the YOG at the present exorbitant price which has alarmed even IOC Vice President Thomas Bach. "I think this is not a trifling amount. But it is an amount that will give us value for money in terms of positioning ourselves, in terms of marketing ourselves, in terms of making sure we are on everyone's radar screen the next time they make an investment decision," he was quoted as saying in BBC News. [Source: BBC News] The YOG is doomed to failure from the very beginning, plagued by a litany of comical screw-ups which has damaged Singapore's reputation as an "efficient" city ranging from ticketing glitches, mass food poisoning outbreaks, collapsing/leaking roof canvases and mistreatment of volunteers. Despite the obvious signs that the YOG has not been quite successful as it should be, Dr Vivian said in his latest media interview on "Singapore made the right decision in bidding to host the Games." as if he has bothered to consult Singaporeans before he bidded for it. 'I have no doubt we will recoup our investment, both on the tangible side and intangible side of the ledger," he said, without providing any concrete evidence to substantiate his claims. [Source: Straits Times] He added that the YOG is part of his plans to "rebrand" Singapore as "an excellent place to live, work and play." "It's really part of our larger game plan of re-positioning Singapore. We now want to be one of the most exciting, happening, dynamic, vibrant places that cater to all needs." Whatever mileage Singapore is able to gain from the YOG is likely to be nullified by the arrest of a YOG critic by the Singapore police three days ago for "inciting violence and public disorder." 27 year old Mr Malik has taken Dr Vivian to task for the mass food poisoning scandal involving 26 YOG volunteers. Below is the comment he posted on Facebook which got him into trouble with the authorities:   The sensational news soon hit the headlines of international media agency Agence France-Presse which was reproduced worldwide, overshadowing all other YOG-related news and reinforcing Singapore's image as a "repressive police state." With the trial of British author Alan Shadrake for "contempt of court" coming up in the next few weeks, Singapore's international reputation is going to take a battering. How can a country be "vibrant, dynamic and happening" when its police cannot even differentiate a harmless metaphor from a genuine threat and when it is completely dominated by an ultra-sensitive government which jumps and cries at the slightest of criticism? Do we hear other first world countries like Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand or Canada arresting and harassing their netizens for online criticisms? Till today, Dr Vivian has refused to account for the YOG budget of $387 million dollars or to apologize to the Singaporeans for the mistakes made. With no opposition in Parliament to take Dr Vivian to task, he can continue to "talk c**k sing song" in the media. In the meantime, an online petition demanding a public apology from Dr Vivian has garnered more than 800 signatures so far. You can sign the petition here.   Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us  Read More →