Fellow bloggers whatever you do 'don't mention rac.., sorry, dengue fever'.
There is racism in Singapore I should know I was often on the positive end of it.
The shock in the media is rather contrived but the way to approach the problem is to introduce 'Discrimination Legislation'. Somehow this might knock Singapore off the number one business friendly position, and could also hamper the image of 'bureaucracy free Singapore'. Sometimes bureaucracy is your friend.
Reading the articles below would give you the impression that Singaporean bloggers write about nothing else other than how much they hate their neighbour. This is just the window needed for a tightening of internet controls and vigilantees patrolling the WWW reporting all who disobey.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/
singaporelocalnews/view/168673/1/.html
Third person charged with sedition for racist remarks on blog site
By Sharon Tong, Channel NewsAsia
SINGAPORE : A third person has been charged under the Sedition Act with promoting feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races of Singapore.
Gan Huai Shi, 17, faces seven charges of posting racist remarks on his blog site.
On September 12, two bloggers were charged with sedition for posting racist comments online.
Their case will be heard in court again on September 21.
The three are the first bloggers to be charged in Singapore.
Lawyers said the last time the Sedition Act was invoked was at least 10 years ago.
First time offenders can be fined up to $5,000 or jailed up to three years or both.
Subsequent offenders can be jailed up to five years and have their seditious publications forfeited and destroyed. - CNA/de
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/72956.asp
Just 17, hate blogger charged
JUST four days after two men were charged with making racist remarks online, another blogger has joined their ranks.
This one is only 17, but his remarks appeared to be at least as virulent as those made by the two men charged on Monday.
Gan Huai Shi appeared in court on Friday, faced with seven charges under the Sedition Act for remarks he made between April 4 and July 16 this year.
The target of his ire were Malays and Muslims.
In some astonishing rants, he compared them to "rodents".
He claimed he wanted to blow up Muslim holy sites and wrote that "the Malays must be eliminated before it is too late".
He made insulting remarks about the community, most of which are not fit for publication. In his first entry Gan claimed that he was "extremely racist".
Like Benjamin Koh Song Huat, 27, and Nicholas Lim Yew, 25, Gan faces charges under the Sedition Act where conviction under the first charge could result in up to three years' jail and subsequent offences up to five years.
There have been concerns in many quarters that the Internet, which started as a platform for free speech, has, in some cases, evolved into a space for racist rants.
Observers have pointed out that recent actions taken by the authorities could rein in such outpourings. — Loh Chee Kong
STRAITS TIMES
Sept 17, 2005
Third person accused of racist comments on Net
By Chong Chee Kin
YET another blogger was hauled to court yesterday for posting allegedly racist remarks online - the third person charged under the Sedition Act this week.
Seventeen-year-old private school student Gan Huai Shi is accused of promoting ill will and hostility among different races through comments on his blog.
In two unrelated cases on Monday, Nicholas Lim Yew, 25, and Benjamin Koh Song Huat, 27, were charged with similar offences.
Gan faces seven charges under the Sedition Act for offences he was said to have committed between April 4 and July 16.
He allegedly made four inflammatory comments about Malays and Muslims on the Internet within days of starting his blog.
In one entry on April 4, he allegedly made it clear that he was 'extremely racist'.
The next day, in two entries within four hours, he was said to have posted anti-Malay remarks. On April 6, he was allegedly at it again.
From May to July 16, he is accused of making racist comments once a month on his blog, spouting his hatred for the Malay community.
In one posting, he also allegedly wrote of his violent tendencies in an entry he described as having 'explicit and candid content'. He allegedly wrote how much he wanted to 'assassinate some important person with a sniper rifle'.
Gan, represented by lawyer Edmond Pereira, was released on bail of $15,000 and is due back in court next Tuesday. He could end up in jail for up to three years on each of the charges.
Human Rights
6 comments:
If these hate mongers are not dealt with what will happen to Singapore in the long run.
Agree. Singapore is a stable orderly country, we cannot allow unsanctioned behaviour to harm our society.
DIU LEI KE LOW MA HI UNDERSTAND?
People are free to express their love and hatred vocally as long as no violence occurs. If you don't like what others are writing, then just move on. No body was ever forced to read cyber-filth. If MM Lee Kuan Yew was so colour-blind, then why doesn't he ask his children to marry Indians, Malays or Europeans?
hmm abt lky, i think he did right? one of his kids got married to a european? i dunno.. but racism is just stupid. its a lame excuse for being underpaid or being unemployed. if u deserve respect, earn it first. there won't be a reason to be hated upon if you are a good citizen. learn to love people.. karma comes around..
What comes around, goes around. Do not take peace for granted.
I'm surprised his bail was only $15K. 7 charges, even if they ran on four, two concurrently, the rest taken into consideration, could mean up to 6 years jail.
My bail was $50K on trumped up charge of criminal intimidation (up to 7 years jail) which was subsequently struck-off. I claimed trial but had to give up, not because I was unrepresented, but the complainant spoke so softly under cross-examination that only the judge could hear him, and the judge found absolutely nothing wrong with this. Defence had to forfeit its rights. The $50K was to keep me in jail because the complainant had inadvertently provided me with material evidence for my defence. Talk about a Kangeroo Court.
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