The above WMV file has been removed, but you can hopefully download it here.
From the Guardian Newspaper
Tuesday March 22, 2005
A film-maker has withdrawn his documentary about Singapore's leading opposition figure from the city-state's annual film festival, after the government warned him its political content could land him in jail.
Martyn See's short film focuses on Chee Soon Juan, a frequent government critic who was ordered to pay S$500,000 (£160,875) to Singapore's first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, and former leader Goh Chok Tong for defamation during the 2001 elections.
See decided to pull his movie from the Singapore international film festival after the country's censorship board warned him he could be jailed for up to two years or fined if his 26-minute film was screened.
Singapore's the Straits Times reports that the board had also advised festival organisers to remove See's documentary because it was a "party political film." Under Singaporean law, local films that "contain wholly or partly either partisan or biased references to or comments on any political matter" are banned, the paper added.
Despite its strictly controlled media, Singapore has been seeking to promote itself as a centre of Asian arts, with the international film festival one of its cultural highlights. Still, Singapore regularly bans movies, on the grounds that it needs to maintain ethnic and religious harmony in the south-east Asian country of four million.
Well there goes the promotion of Singapore as a centre of Asian arts. And all despite the recent call for a Singaporean Michael Moore by youth and media conference .
"In attendance was Education Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam some speakers referred "to how wacky political websites and show business figures such as film-maker Michael Moore led the way in encouraging turnout among young voters during last year's US presidential elections."
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Singapore Rebel to premiere at two human rights film fests
'Singapore Rebel' has been selected to premiere in two human rights film festivals this month. The inaugural New Zealand Human Rights Film Festival and the Amnesty International Film Festival (USA) will host a series of screenings in Auckland, Wellington and West Hollywood.
Film-maker Martyn See will not attend the festivals. He is now under investigation by the Singapore police for "the making" of 'Singapore Rebel'.
Below is taken from the website of the New Zealand Human Rights Film Festival.
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Singapore Rebel
26 minutes, Singapore
This is the film Singapore’s censorship board doesn’t want people to see. It’s the story of opposition politician Chee Soon Juan, who has been imprisoned twice for championing democratic change in the city state. The censors declared it a “party political film” and it was pulled from last month’s Singapore International Film Festival line-up after the director was warned he could face two years in jail if the screening went ahead. Directed by Martyn See.
Screening times: Auckland Wellington
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And this is taken from the website of the Amnesty International Film Festival (USA).
Singapore Rebel (World Premiere) Director: Martyn See Tong Ming
Documentary. 2005. Singapore. 26 min. English.
The film has just been withdrawn from the Singapore International Film Festival because of government censorship. We are proud to host the World Premiere and to support freedom of expression for artists worldwide.
Often cited as the economic miracle of the Far East, Singapore looks every bit like the paragon of the rich Asian nation. Beneath its gleaming façade, however, lies a citizenry that has been governed by the same political party for 46 years.
No act inspires more fear and foreboding in Singaporean society than an open confrontation with its government. Yet, one citizen has taken it upon himself to do just that. Singapore Rebel chronicles the tribulations of opposition activist Dr. Chee Soon Juan from his initial overcoming of fear to his acts of civil disobedience.
Screening times: West Hollywood
8 comments:
Did you know Chee personally?
I'm curious about the incident at FASS/NUS.
I've been told that he misappropriated some research funds(about $150 or $50) to send some documents overseas, and nothing would have happened had he not blown the matter out of proportion by making a big hoo-ha about being oppressed.
I was told this by a professor who knew Chee personally.
If you do, and are willing to enlighten me about the incident, to write me. Or just write about it, if you want. =)
Just to add to that, as far as I know, I trust the source of that information.
I have zero knowledge of any incident at NUS?
The NUS incident available in some detail in the link below. The website is hardly updated anymore.
From my misty memory, he went on a hunger strike as well to protest his dismissal, he was fighting the Head of the Psychology/Social Service fabculty, one Vasoo.
He collapsed from his hunger strike (remember it made front page ST) and has since never ceased to be in the political limelight.
I still believe that he lacks political acumen and political intelligence despite the film. Rebel he is not. Jeya probably outshines Chee in many respects as politician in terms of acumen, sense and instinct.
http://www.sfdonline.org/sfd/Link%20Pages/Link%20Folders/Interviews/indianpacific.html
Xenoboy, if he ain't a rebel. I wonder why LKY and his merry bunch are so keen to get him at all costs.
Convex Set, let's just say that, once the govt is set to catch you doing something wrong, they can do so easily.
Think of it this way, out of the so many computers in NUS offices, I bet you can surely find a few with some "objectionable" pictures, videos or even software.
As long as the professor does not join the opposition, no one will care about those stuff. The moment he does...
in the film, chee was quoted as saying this-
chee (with regard to the $17b question): "what mr goh chok tong did and a lot of Singaporeans don't know about this is that he pointed to his pocket when i asked him where is the money. but of course, the media being the way that it is didn't even bring up this point."
to quote an article from ST (dated 29 October 2001, page H1, titled "PM waves aside "tailgating' SDP team"):
Doing their best to provoke a response, the SDP crew then shook their fists and chanted in unison: "Where is the money? PM Goh, won't you answer the people? Where is the money?"
But Mr Goh just pointed wordlessly to his trouser pocket in reply.
That drew chuckles from the crowd that had thickened in anticipation of a confrontation.
guess this comment is a reminder that we should not take all that is in this video at face value/as truth.
or anything at all i guess.
=)
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