Singapore's Temasek Monitors Thai News

Sept. 20, 2006, 5:58AM

By TANALEE SMITH Associated Press Writer © 2006 The Associated Press

SINGAPORE — The Singapore state investment company that bought control of Thailand's Shin Corp. from its prime minister and his family earlier this year said Wednesday it is watching developments after he was ousted by a military coup and that it was premature to worry about any impact on the business transaction.

"It's a matter for the Thai people to resolve," Myrna Thomas, Temasek Holding's managing director for corporate affairs, said of the bloodless coup that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday night while he was in New York City for the U.N. General Assembly.

Thai army commander Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin declared martial law and revoked the constitution. He announced he would act as prime minister for two weeks until a new leader "who is neutral and upholds democracy" is found, and that a post-coup interim government would retain power for no more than one year.

Asked whether there would be moves to confiscate Thaksin's vast assets, he told a news conference that "those who have committed wrongdoings have to be prosecuted according to the law."

Thaksin faced months of calls for his resignation over allegations of corruption and abuse of power. The opposition gained momentum in January when his family announced it had sold its 49.6 percent controlling stake in telecommunications company Shin Corp. to Temasek Holdings for a tax-free US$1.9 billion (euro1.5 billion). Critics allege the sale involved insider trading and complain a key national asset is now in foreign hands.

A tender offer for the remaining shares resulted in holding companies controlled by Temasek owning 96 percent of Shin Corp., sparking an investigation in August by Thailand's Commerce Ministry into whether Temasek breached the kingdom's limits on foreign ownership _ which could lead to the nullification of the sale.

The deal led to strong anti-Singapore sentiment among some in Thailand. Hundreds of Thais demonstrated outside the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok in March demanding Temasek abandon the sale, prompting Singapore to insist that the ties between the nations were strong and durable.

Temasek said in a statement Wednesday that it had complied with Thailand's laws and was "fully cooperating" with the Commerce Ministry.

A spokesman said the company was not worried about the coup's effect on the deal.

"At this stage it is quite premature to be concerned about the coup's effect on the Shin Corp. deal," a Temasek spokesman said on condition of anonymity.

Coup leader Sondhi told reporters that foreign policy and international agreements would not be changed.

In its annual review earlier this month, Temasek announced a net portfolio value of 129 billion Singapore dollars (US$82 billion; euro64 billion) at the end of March, up 24 percent from a year earlier.

Temasek has controlling stakes in several of Singapore's biggest companies, including Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. and Singapore Airlines Ltd. The company has been investing aggressively outside of Singapore in fast-growing economies such as India and China to diversify its portfolio. Its annual report noted S$21 billion (US$13.4 billion; euro10.4 billion) in new investments in the financial year ended in March.

Singapore

Singapore concerned with military coup in Thailand

I bet they are...

Singapore said on Wednesday it was concerned with the situation in Thailand which has fallen to military coup and urged all parties involved to work towards a positive outcome.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Singapore joined the rest of the international community in watching the latest developments in Thailand with concern. Singapore hoped all parties involved would work towards a positive outcome.

"Thailand is an important country in the region and prolonged uncertainties there will be a setback for Thailand and the region as a whole. We hoped that the situation will return to normal as soon as possible." the ministry said. Peoples Daily Online

Singapore

Some videos showing Empowering Singaporeans Rally & March

Singapore's International Idol

Someone is managing the IMF/WB visits opportunity for international publicity well and it is Dr Chee.

Click on the images to enlarge.

Singapore

"Singapore? Isn't that part of China?"

The article below sums up this recent mess created by the authorities in Singapore. Trying to attract the worlds talent while at the same time having world headlines read as the one below does highlight the flaw in the so called 'pragmatic approach'.

The pragmatic approach to decision making is founded on a simple idea that you use the option which works best at that particular time or rather decisions are to be made without reference to a core set of 'political values' or grand plans.

'Singapore Works' is a phrase that encapsulates that notion. The 'old' politics of 'left and right' no longer hold sway over those in power, the rhetoric of Confucianism has been abandoned, 'Asian values' is a term that has gone by the way. Today Singapore is placed at the mercy of globalisation as every other nation is. Globalisation is referred to as an 'invisible hand' that alters the fortunes of men and women on a global scale. When the Singapore economy performs badly - simply place the blame on globalisation. When the Singapore economy does well - accredit the praise by remarking that the Singaporean government has opened its doors to the invisible hand.

To argue that multi national corporations and the financial markets determine the fortunes of the people of Singapore is tantamount to blasphemy. Blasphemy because we all live in societies that have supposedly turned their backs on the old ideologies of politics. Today we are said to live in a pragmatic world that is without ideology.

A greater number of those who had wished to protest on the streets of Singapore are not anti-capitalist or communist/Marxist. They are aware of the reality of the situation we find ourselves in - we need capitalism to continue for our own survival. All they were trying to ask for was that their voices be heard when they call for a 'kinder - softer capitalism'. A capitalism that factors in human beings and the environment into their decisions. One that encourages corporate responsibility.

To argue that we now live in a world of 'pragmatic' decision makers unencumbered by 'values' whether they be universal or local, is merely an uncovering of the dominant hegemony of our time. The image of boats rising with the tide of 'globalisation' as if it were another force of nature creates the image that there is no alternative. This is the lie.

The leaders of Singapore are without vision. They make decisions on an ad hoc basis which on this particular occasion has created the fiasco that is the IMF/WB meeting. They, as politicians, are without affect on the global stage and reduced to micro-managing the lives of their electorate. All they have left is the politics of behavioural management. Their success in the politics of behavioural management has been well illustrated by the clamping down of peaceful protest. Not that many tried to take part on this occasion but that the population has no desire to protest at all. The people of Singapore have accepted their political behaviour manipulation without question.

When Lee junior came to power a few years ago he talked of a marvelous future for Singapore - an open society. With individuals making their voices heard without fear of suppression. The cameras of the world will show a picture of the passive Singaporean when a better image would have been a dynamic, risk-taking society that was progressing and changing, involved in decisions that would effect their own futures and the futures of millions of others.

Often people have been known to ask - "Singapore? Isn't that part of China?" This mistake isn't based on geographic location alone.

Singapore seems to be walking a very fine tight rope. On one side we have the danger of collapsing into the arms of the US and on the other China. When you have a US statesman of Wolfowitz's stature commenting on how 'authoritarian' the decisions are it seems to indicate a wobble towards the Chinese model of the 'open society'. And we all know just how 'open' that is.

Singapore activist ban "authoritarian": Wolfowitz
Fri Sep 15, 2006 2:16am ET

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz on Friday called Singapore's restrictions on the entry of activists for the World Bank/IMF meetings "authoritarian".

But he said the World Bank and IMF did not plan to postpone their annual gathering, which is being hosted by the Southeast Asian city-state this month.

"Enormous damage has been done and a lot of that damage is done to Singapore and self-inflicted. This could have been an opportunity for them to showcase to the world their development process," Wolfowitz said in response to questions from civil society organizations at a town hall meeting in Singapore.

"I would argue whether it has to be as authoritarian as it has been and I would certainly argue that at the stage of success they have reached, they would do much better for themselves with a more visionary approach to the process."

He added that the bar on entry into Singapore for some activists "is a violation of the understanding that we had drawn up" with Singapore.

The city-state has put 27 civil rights activists on a blacklist for entry to the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank, and some would-be participants to the meetings have been deported.
© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.

Singapore

Singapore democracy campaigner ends standoff

Singapore - A Singapore pro-democracy activist on Tuesday ended a three-day standoff with police who stopped him from marching to the venue of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings.

Chee Soon Juan, 44, vowed to accelerate his fight for more freedom in the city-state and evoked memories of US civil rights campaigner Martin Luther King Jr and India's Mahatma Gandhi.

"The world now knows the extent of the repression in Singapore and hopefully this will translate into pressure on the Singapore government to reform the system," said Chee, secretary-general of the opposition Singapore Democratic Party.

"Over the next few months, we will step up our efforts to raise awareness of the need for democracy in Singapore," he said.

As a large contingent of international journalists watched, police blocked Chee and a handful of supporters on Saturday when they tried to leave a city park that serves as a government-designated free speech area.

About 30 plainclothes and uniformed police were still watching Chee's group Tuesday as a military helicopter conducted surveillance above them before he ended his protest at the edge of the park.

Under Singapore law, any public protest of at least five people without a permit is deemed illegal. Chee's applications for a permit were denied.

He made a final attempt just after midday Tuesday to proceed with his march but was stopped by the same plainclothes policeman who had been Chee's shadow since Saturday.

"I can't let you do that... because that assembly, you do not have a permit for that assembly," said the officer, who gave his name as Hassan.

Chee then made a speech to mark the end of his standoff.

"It may have come to a close but I assure you that our movement, our campaign for democracy, will grow and gain momentum and strength," Chee said as his supporters clapped.

"We will step up our efforts to recruit activists and train them and we will step up our efforts to organise more activities and more public protests in a peaceful manner," he said.

Chee said he will train fellow activists on the "theory and practice of non-violent action" as preached by civil rights campaigners Martin Luther King Jr in the United States, and India's Mahatma Gandhi.

Chee is one of the rare few in Singapore who have spoken out against the People's Action Party which has ruled since 1959.

He was protesting poverty and restrictions on freedom of speech in the city-state, which is one of Asia's wealthiest.

Despite appeals by the World Bank, Singapore refused to waive its long-standing protest restrictions during the meetings.

Police have defended their strict security measures, saying Singapore is a high-profile "terrorist" target.

Chee has served three jail terms -- a total of about two months -- for speaking publicly without a permit.

He and his sister were found by the Supreme Court last week to have defamed the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his father Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's founding father and first prime minister.

The Lees sued Chee for implying that the prime minister was perpetuating a corrupt political system.

Chee was also declared a bankrupt in February for failing to pay 500,000 Singapore dollars (316,455 US dollars) in libel damages to the elder Lee and another former prime minister, Goh Chok Tong, in a separate defamation suit.

Political stability has been the bedrock of the economic success of Singapore. The elder Lee said at a forum on governance Friday that the city-state cannot take the same approach as Western countries. He cited New Zealand and Denmark as examples because these nations have a "different physical, economic and geographical strategic base".

Agence France Presse

Singapore

The Picture of Intimidation

The police are not surrounding felons caught in a raid. They are surrounding the roots of democracy in Singapore. Keeping them huddled together. Keeping them contained. Keeping them under watch.

Singapore: The Convenient Scapegoat

The 140th has done it again. Now by hosting this IMF and WB meeting, Singapore has sullied their own reputation.

Since the start of the meeting, Singapore has not spoken a word on Singapore 2006. Nope. Not one word. Zilch. Nada. Along comes Paul Wolfowitz in a smart suit and tie, telling the activists that it was Singapore who engineered the meeting to be as such. It is Singapore’s doing he says, for disallowing the foot of activists to touch this land. He pleads innocence, saying that he was not in office when the decision for Singapore to host the meeting was made.

Singapore on the other hand, has kept her silence. Those who are familiar with the government’s modus operandi would know that when the government is accused as such, immediate retaliation is certain as a show of her sovereignty. Not this time around though. Singapore has held her tongue.



In the vacant lobbies of Suntec, delegates can be heard sniggering on how peaceful and quiet it is. Definitely, since the activists are stationed away from the main lobby where the delegates would have to pass through.

Why did the IMF and WB only coerced the Singapore government to grant entry to all activists only after the civil societies threatened to boycott the event? Given Singapore’s reputation and as president of WB, Wolfowitz should have exercised his initiative as the head of the institution to look into the matter. But he didn’t. Activists flew into Singapore from all over the world to hear him put the blame on Singapore.

While Singapore makes international headlines for all the wrong reasons, IMF and WB sit back and bask in the comfort provided by the scapegoat.

4 million smiles anyone?

Singapore

Feet of Clay

So now 22 out of 27 initially banned protestors are allowed in. All because foreign NGOs and international institutions like the World Bank managed to pressure the regime into bending. Foreign pressure, in the form of carrots and sticks, work in making the regime changes its ways. Who would have thought that the regime could cave in when the entire world is watching?

Let's start change.

For Singapore's main champion of democracy, let Chee Soon Juan be unmolested (the regime is now in a daze after they gave in on the banned activist case and dared not arrest him yesterday). Cracking down on peaceful protests is embarassing for Singapore so the regime should put Singapore's interests first and change its position.

For the CSOs at the IMF meetings in Singapore now, let the CSOs protest in the main and bigger lobby of Suntec in full view of the delegates like it was orginally promised. Even better, allow outdoor protests. The small indoor protest space is embarassing to Singapore so the regime should put Singapore's interests first and change its position.

For all Singaporeans, let the the regime be more tolerant of dissent in general. The authoritarian regime and its engineered climate of selfcensorhsip is stiffling for Singaporeans so the regime should put Singapore's interests first and change its position.

Activists might sue Singapore

Despite being gramatically incorrect, the title of this Reuters article says it all.

Activists say might take legal action against Singapore
By Koh Gui Qing

BATAM, Indonesia (Reuters) - Activists are considering legal action against Singapore, accusing the government of violating human rights after police held members incommunicado before deporting them, an activist said on Saturday.

Lidy Nacpil said several NGOs that gathered on the Indonesian island of Batam are considering taking legal action in international courts or appealing to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

Singapore, which is hosting the annual World Bank-IMF meetings, initially blacklisted more than two dozen activists who had been accredited to attend the event.

The government said late on Friday that it would allow 22 of the 27 blacklisted activists to enter, following strong criticism of its actions by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

"The point is we have to show that we are serious, that they can't get away with this," Nacpil said on the sidelines of a three-day forum in Batam, a short boat ride from Singapore.

"We are still in the exploratory stage as to what our options are," added Nacpil, international coordinator of Jubilee South, a network of non-governmental organizations.

She said NGOs including Jubilee South and the International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID) were discussing the "appropriate action" to take.

"The fact is that they detained all these people without giving them a chance to inform their colleagues or their family" or to make any telephone calls, she said.

Singapore police declined to comment.

Jakarta-based INFID is an umbrella group of more than 100 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Indonesia and abroad. The group lobbies governments on issues affecting Indonesia.

© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.

All this, in the full glare of the international limelight, with every major news outlet keenly following everything going on in the light of the World Bank/IMF meeting?

Well done, Singapore.

Yawning Bread is right, it really and truly is embarrasing to be a Singaporean.

Singapore