article in full
by Gui
Qing Koh
SINGAPORE, Jan 7 (Reuters) - A Singapore opposition
leader lost a three-year legal battle against
defamation charges brought by the city-state's
founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, and his
successor, court documents showed on Friday.
Singapore's High Court ruled that Chee Soon Juan of
the Singapore Democratic Party must pay Lee and former
Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong S$500,000 ($303,600) in
damages in relation to a case dating back to
Singapore's 2001 general elections.
Chee said the verdict would likely bankrupt him,
effectively ruling him out of the next elections due
by 2007, since he cannot afford to pay S$300,000 to
Goh and S$200,000 to Lee. Singapore law bars declared
bankrupts from holding political office.
"There is no way I can pay half a million dollars,"
Chee told Reuters.
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6 comments:
Nothing new there; this 'tool' has been used by the PAP many times before especially by LKY. Pls refer to LKY v JBJ, LKY v TLH, and quite a few more before most of us were even born.
I love this response. It often goes as follows, "Nothing new here... happens a lot." Same old, same old. Sounds svery accepting and kind of stoic in one sense or pessimistic and I can't help feeling their is a sense of atomised and disenfranchised acceptance.
Spot on.
So any suggestions on what should be done instead? Start a revolution?
no need for violoent revolution, just call for reform. Vote for opposition if any are actually able to stand in the elections...just don't be fooled by the men in white.
While I agree most people have the wool pulled over their eyes by the MIWs, the people who actually recognise such issues are few and far between. The people who are actually willing to risk their livelihoods to call for such reform in Singapore is even less. How does one person take on the might of the MIWs alone and call for reform in such a situation? One will only end up with a fate like CSJ's. Simple as that. And a vote for the opposition 'against the MIWs' rather than because of support for the opposition (which may be equally skewed) is a poor decisive factor to base a vote on.
As such calls for reforms will remain as without bite as it has always been; people chatting in coffeeshops, airing views on the internet; and writing a letter to the forum (most useless way by the way), but essentially nothing happens, except perhaps raising some awareness and underground sentiment but not much else.
The only way, I dare say, is a revolutionary overhaul of the entire system (does not need to be violent). The only problem as mentioned before, will be the lack of substantial support.
Another issue is whether we would such a revolution in the first place, since life is actually not half bad (not perfect, i know, but no where in the world is).
BTW I have been a lurker on your site for quite a while now. Great site you have here. Cheers.
If you really think Dr Chee Soon Juan is credible, pool your money together with other people to save him from bankruptcy. Or help him to raise money.
I hate Singaporeans who merely whine and don't take concrete action.
By:Tein Chui Shan Crystal
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