YPAP member and grassroots leader Sear Hock Rong demands Temasek Review apologize for “putting PAP in a bad light”
December 17th, 2009 | 
Author: Written by Our Correspondent
YPAP member and grassroots leader Mr Sear Hock Rong had posted a lengthy explanation on his blog on why he labeled an online critic of the PAP, Mr Alex Tan as “Alex Zhixiang Tan who was charged with “general disobedience” in his exchanges with him on the YPAP Facebook.
22 year old Project Engineer Alex Tan has been attacking and berating the PAP on the YPAP Facebook for the last few months before he was banned for “indulging in name-callings and vulgarities.”
The Sunday Times reported Alex as saying that it was the YPAP members who started the flame war first by harping on his past record in detention during his National Service which sparked an outcry in cyberspace with many netizens questioning the legality of posting such confidential information in the public domain.
Alex has also issue an open challenge to YPAP members to debate on national issues at Speaker’s Corner which they have not responded yet.
In the beginning of his article, Mr Sear wrote that he was “disturbed” to know that we have posted his personal information in some of our articles.
He also claimed he and his family are “deeply affected” by our “one-sided” story which put the PAP in the bad light:
“The Correspondent was quick to source and highlight some of the comments by PAP activists on Facebook. The Correspondent wrote “For a political party which prides itself on the rule of law, it is a shame that its Youth Wing has degenerated into such a sorry state.” This was only based on one side of the story.
This gave readers the wrong impression and put the PAP in bad light. My family and I are deeply affected. Temasek Review and Mr Alex Tan should clarify and issue an apology immediately for the unnecessary inconvenience caused to me and my family.”
All information posted about Mr Sear on our site is obtained from his blog which is listed in the public domain. If Mr Sear is uncomfortable with his particulars being revealed publicly, he should delete the blog entries and send us an email requesting us to remove the information on our site as well. Mr Sear has posted more than 5 comments with links to his blog on our site which we have gladly approved to allow readers to hear his side of the story.
Mr Sear posted a screenshot of Alex’s blog entry in which he admitted that he was sent to DB during his army days for “general disobedience and was proud of it:
“Mr Alex Tan (also known on Facebook as Alex Zhixiang Tan or Utopia Interpretsg) was never shy of sharing his DB experience with others. In fact, he wrote on his blog http://utopia8787.blogspot.com he was “very proud of it”.
The screenshot below showed clearly Mr Alex Tan’s comment on Facebook telling everyone he was charged in June 2008 for ‘general disobedience’. He said it himself.
If it was a chargeable offence for calling him Alex Zhixiang Tan who was charged with ‘general disobedience’, should Mr Alex Tan also be considered to be charged again by the “relevant authorities” for revelation of his DB record?”
However, Alex did so to counter the YPAP supporter who had been taunting him on the YPAP Facebook for his detention which means that it was already divulged on the internet before his posting.
“He (Alex) was famous for his four-letter vulgar, middle finger and name-calling tactics,” he added.
Mr Sear also defended fellow YPAP member Bernard Leong for challenging Alex to leave Singapore if he is so disenchanted with the place during the YPAP Forum held last week:
“Mr Alex Tan mentioned that he “is leaving S’pore if PAP wins the coming GE due by 2012 by more than 50%”. He also mentioned that he was considering joining an Opposition Party. It was unfair to point the finger at any PAP activist who suggested Mr Alex Tan should leave Singapore. Mr Alex Tan voluntarily wrote he was prepared to leave. This was similar to the case where Mr Alex Tan wrote openly in the Young PAP Network Facebook Group that he was charged with ‘general disobedience’ in June 2008. I was merely reminding everyone that Mr Alex Tan who was rude to many of us in the Facebook Group was also charged with ‘general disobedience.”
He did not explain why he brought in Alex’s DB record into the discussion except that it was to “remind” everyone that Alex was charged with “general disobedience.”
Mr Sear ended his blog post for netizens to empathize with the YPAP moderators who banned Alex from posting further comments on its Facebook:
“Put yourself in the shoe of the Young PAP members. Would you allow someone to come into your house and vandalise, scold your family members, throw things around and do whatever he/she likes in your house?”
From Mr Sear’s posting, it appears that he is still peeved and angry with Alex for his “rude” remarks on YPAP Facebook. Mr Sear has requested an apology from Alex. Perhaps he should talk his talk and take up Alex’s challenge to have a public debate at Hong Lim Park to settle their personal differences once and for all.
As for Temasek Review, we are merely reporting the fracas from an outsider’s point of view. Whether we have indeed “gave readers a wrong impression of PAP and put it in a bad light” as charged by Mr Sear, we leave it to our readers to judge for themselves.
Copyright © The Temasek Review, 2009
Related articles:
1. Identity of YPAP member who leaked Alex Tan’s DB record on Facebook
2. Alex Tan to YPAP members: Don’t be cowards on Facebook
3. Alex Tan challenges YPAP to public debate at Speaker’s corner
4. YPAP member slammed by netizens for revealing critic’s detention record
5. YPAP member resorts to smearing critic’s character to silence him
6. PAP MP De Souza: More robust debate from PAP than opposition MPs
Posted in Editorial
if we get any more idiots like this into Parliamnet,singapore
would end up in th doldrums sooner than later.
hey,apologise to PAP for what?
…well,for getting us out of jobs?!
must we apologise…oh yes,only stupid people think and talk like this…
i am worried for the better future of our beloved nation.
mr teo ser luck,i truly wish you better luck!
but if you wanna honest unself-interested public opinions,do come more often to TR for your staples.
Come on, it is ridiculous!!!
Hmmm double standards.. Sear discusses private information about Alex – his DB rcords? which is irrelevant to their fb discussions. This DB was for general disobedience, for publishing taboo topics like NS deaths, not for rudesness or vulgarity, and then he winces when his private details is discussed in public and expects an apology? What is so disturbing about this. Is he going to sue for defamation next? Reminding the public?
If Alex is deciding that he is leaving Singapore, so what. Who on earth is Bernard to ask him to leave?
“As for Temasek Review, we are merely reporting the fracas from an outsider’s point of view. Whether we have indeed “gave readers a wrong impression of PAP and put it in a bad light” as charged by Mr Sear, we leave it to our readers to judge for themselves”
If there is any inaccuracies Seah should point this out – what bad light? at least we get to see this side of the story, never n 1 million years will be published by the MSM.
At least Seah has the opportunity to tell? his side of his story on Temasek. Can you imagine any critic or oposition member if they whine and wince like him, to be able to get their side of the story printed in the MSM. Should he be grateful?
“My family and I are deeply affected. Temasek Review and Mr Alex Tan should clarify and issue an apology immediately for the unnecessary inconvenience caused to me and my family.””
Is Seah trying to say that only he and his family is “deeply affected”. What about Alex? I supose he asked for it when he started the fracas by dragging out irrelevant personal information onto the court. Then it becomes free for all and it is only natural for Alex to also look for personal information, like him being the grassroots at Eunos.
Well if he can’t take the heat, don’t start the fire.
Wiseman said: “Never do to others what you don’t want them to undo to you” –sounds appropriate for this instance?–. Real politicians would not walk away from a challenging debate, so where are the real politicians again in this instance?
“Put yourself in the shoe of the Young PAP members. Would you allow someone to come into your house and vandalise, scold your family members, throw things around and do whatever he/she likes in your house?”
Isn’t this exactly what Sear himself is doing now, by demanding that TR apologize for criticizing the PAP?
The more I read about the exchanges between the the yPAPs and Alex, the more I can see that the yPAPs lacks class, eloquence, logic, conviction, courage and poise to cope with Alex. And this is despite the fact that the yPAP is well organized and are probably filled with people who are highly educated.
If those who are engaging Alex is the best the yPAP can throw at Alex, then it will only be a matter of time before the ruling party is defeated no matter how robust their defensive election mechanism is tweaked.
My advice to those who yPAP members who are engaging Alex right now: Either get backups from yPAP members who have more substance, EQ or eloquence (nothing wrong with understanding what you are weak in and seek help) or cut your losses and let this issue pass permanently.
The yPAPs are getting outclassed at every turn by Alex! My friends who are PAP supporters are watching and they cannot believe the incoherent doublespeak we are seeing from them (yPAP). The brand name of PAP – the party with the best of logical, clean, honest, intelligent and efficient people representing this country, is fast being eroded by themselves.
Mr. Sear. you are dreaming your own dreams! Grow up!
Hahahahahahahahahahaha…..put PAP into bad light…….Hahahhahahahahahaha, like as if it’s reputation online and in the coffeeshops isn’t bad enough. Now we’ve an idiot trying to make it’s reputation worst.
Smart move, real smart, so smart I’m once again laughing at how stupidity works in many instance. Oh yes sure you deserve an apology, Mr Sear Hock Rong, you also deserve to moderate the internet, make it a better place, and continue to be a moron thinking you’ll get an apology….or else what? Sue Mr. Alex? Hahahahahahahahahahahaha…really…I’m really glad I finished dinner, I would’ve dirtied my com screen halfway reading his blog.
And btw, Mr. Seah here sucks at playing with words. He thinks he’s part of The Elites just by being a grassroot leader or something? Hahahahahahahahaha…REMINDING people Alex was from DB…reminding….REMINDING….hahahahahahahahaha……
Alright, enough. This is stupid, can we like, ignore him anytime soon? He’s taking too much read time being so insignificant to daily news.
Is there any law which says that DISAGREEING VOICE MUST BE QUARANTINED OR IMPRISONED in this little piece of intelligent-barren rock that simply can’t grow up with all reclamation efforts?
If hurt feelings matters, how much must be paid to politicians arrested,charged, publicised and then withdrawn without due process of the law?
Go on, cry mommy here.
Hahaha…… some of the idiots here made a blunder by thinking that yPAP used inside information regarding Alex. haha.
Do one need to make an apology for reporting fact?
If that is true then Stomp must apologize to so many people. They also put people in bad light and affecting people and their family.
Those got Stomped also can go ask Stomp to apologize. This is also due to poor camera light.
Wow TR must keep tap on the right intensity of PAP’s light. Once it deems and light becomes bad, TR must get ready to apologize.
Can anyone tell me where in this world are bureaucrats and/or
politicians paid for “hurt feelings” or are they paid for their service to the nation?
If they are paid for hurt feelings, how about paying me $3 million EVERY MONTH????
I DON’T MIND MY FEELINGS GET HURT BY PUBLIC DIATRIBE OR EVEN SWEARING in my cool air-conditioned comfort watching movies!!!
this is what happens when both sides intend on “demonising” each other. why can’t we speak calmly and rationally?
alex should not be rude and sear should not be petty.
we should focus on issues and not name-calling
I can’t help but slap my forehead thinking how this Sear had actually put himself in a poorer light than Alex ever could! The more Sear commented, the deeper shit he gets himself into! No one really cares how uncouth Alex is. Even if he lodges a report against Alex, the general view would be ‘Alex is victimized.’ All because, Sear is a PAP member. They talk about integrity and honesty and everything good… so walk the talk! By writing down Alex was in DB certainly does not help PAP’s cause – despite Alex admitting to being in DB, Sear has no right to announce such details to the public! Sear just don’t get it! The best option is for Sear to keep quiet and if Sear’s actions had caused a stain on PAP’s name, I think he probably should apologize to PAP for his poor conduct in representing them.
Mr Sear, I do not sympathise you. TR is not like Straits Times. It doesn’t need to put PAP in a good light. That aside, I also demand an apology from you, Mr sear, for making me feel deeply affected by your nonsense.
“It was disturbing to know that the Correspondent posted some of my personal information such as National Service status and employment history in that article.”
Wtf? Welcome to the Internet, Mr Sear
@ cy on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 8:37 pm
Alex Tan is an engineer – a professional man. If he wants to debate, it evidences his capacity for reasoned argument and calm thoughts.
Oh, cut out this patronising bull about his swearing.
Please don’t make out here as though Alex is such a strange caricature of an alleged swearing beast capable and frequent of expletives every seconds, every minute, every day and every year. I DON’T BELIEVE IN THIS CRAP!!!.
I don’t know him personally or even bother visiting his blog if he has one but the strawman rubbish of him is unjustified and undeserved. He lives in society and deals with his peer professionals and superior in his work life. He has a family too, don’t he?
Wait till you meet someone like me – looks like a real bullying “Ah Beng” type of an uneducated rogue and you tell everyone I am a gangster swearing abuses if and when offended. But in reality and in reasoned calm thoughts, I do deals in business BECAUSE I HAVE TO SURVIVE IN SOCIETY. Society rules my conduct and it is the same for Alex I am sure.
Even gangsters have morals too and I believe some are a lot more honourable than politicians around – they honour their words.
So let us not be so judgmental of Alex. AT LEAST I KNOW HE DOES NOT COME OUT IN THIS BLOGG TO SWEAR AT YOU, ME OR ANYONE ELSE, RIGHT????
LOL.
I FEAR for the future of Singapore with people like this in YPAP.
“YPAP member and grassroots leader Sear Hock Rong demands Temasek Review apologize for “putting PAP in a bad light”
Mr Sear, did TR put a gun to your head and demand that you post Alex’ records?
Next thing we know, Tiger Woods will be demanding that the media apologise for putting him in a bad light.
Oh, nice family sympathy card, by the way.
“Temasek Review and Mr Alex Tan should clarify and issue an apology immediately for the unnecessary inconvenience caused to me and my family.”
MSM also put oppositions in bad light, should they apologize to me and my family should we get upset by the report? What make him think that being a yPAP he can go around and post personal attacks on Alex?
They have the advantage since they have control the MSM, but everyone is equal come to cyberspace. Mr. Sear, don’t you think you can bully us in the Internet. Your family should be more ashamed for your actions.
I think this bloody Sear should apologise to the PAP executives member. Why? Because he has failed to follow the party tradition of suing people in the Singapore court.
Suing Alex and TR in Singapore court under the PAP banner he will ensure that he will win even before the proceeding has started. Instead he only ask Alex and TR to apologise. Hence, this bloody Sear should apologise for not suing.
I read this Hock Rong’s blog…
his immaturity defies belief. He’s worse than my 12 year old niece
YPAP admits people like him… either they are desperate or they need lap dogs.
Stupid & silly. It is like some bully who fight others & get wacked in return. Now the bully is crying foul instead of the victim who got bullied.
sear you are brain dead due to sucking too much old farts!!!
aiyoh… this YPAP member so easily affected one ah? quite sad. i’ve read Alex’s blog. i don’t agree with some of his points of view and i think some of his logic is not sound and a number of his arguments are flawed. but i found that he was able to use language well and is quite good at being emotive.
other than that, i think that there is nothing that he’s said or anything ptu up in TR which should really be that disconcerting to any PAP members… perhaps PAP takes themselves a little too seriously that the slightest criticism distresses them… if that’s the case, then it’s quite unfortunate…
I think the REAL reason of why Alex was charged is not out yet. Maybe he went to his CO’s house, throw things around, use the F word on his family? LOL.
To Sear,
You certainly have lost your intelligence joining YPAP. You requested Singaporeans to put themselves in the shoe of YPAP and apologise? Have PAP ever put themselves in Singaporean’s shoe and apologise? Or must we thank PAP for making huge losses in TC fund, insulting ordinary citizens as lesser mortal, and blame ourselves for Mas Selamat’s escape? Sear, are you a retard to even suggest that netizens give two hoots about YPAP with low traffic count and whether you suffered injustice as the result of telling another Singaporeans to leave so as to make you happier? Besides, do you think you are so big deal that people cares about apologising to you? Why not take alex challenges and prove your worth since you started all these knowing internet has no boundary.
Aiyoh, why all these wayang?
Police arrests people who swears expletives in the public but they also swears among themselves inside police stations, how come they don’t arrest and charge themselves in courts?
MORALITY AND “MORAL LAWS” ARE THEMSELVES FUNNILY IMMORAL OF MORAL, RIGHT??
//“Put yourself in the shoe of the Young PAP members. Would you allow someone to come into your house and vandalise, scold your family members, throw things around and do whatever he/she likes in your house?”
This is exactly why YPAP website is not credible.
It is set up with an agenda to promote the self enriching policies of the pigs @ parliament.
Hey Alex, come here now to TR. Quick. Do your finger and fcuk trademarks here. Your nemesis is coming here. It’s home ground here. You won’t be banned. Your comments are safe. Quick!
Please do not feel sad, Mr Sear. There are many Singaporeans who sympathise you, one of them is me. Therefore, I would like to treat you dinner to appease you. But first, how much do you want? Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?”
janetnt on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 11:24 pm
Your patented contraption of C4, gaseous expansion at 26,400 feet per second, as usual, diffused like a whiff of smoke in cyberspace.
Try detonating a thermonuclear device and you still looks even more silly next in cyberspace.
ROTFL
@ anonymous on Fri, 18th Dec 2009 1:25 am
Mau Ku Lau Su??
I have been to Hock Rong’s blog and left some seemingly harmless comments – to encourage him to take on Alex at Hong Lim Park and call in the media so that we Singaporeans can see (or hear) for ourselves. Guess what? Hock Rong don’t even dare to approve the comments for public display.
I don’t know about you guys, but I have already formed my own opinion of him. I don’t think he has a clear conscience nor a moral high ground.
My opinion is that this Sear chap from YPAP is nothing but a thug & bully. So glad that he’s showed his full glorious colors on YPAP for all to see. Remember the saying what goes around comes around, you practise character assassination that your PAP masters have taught you so well, well to Mr Sear, the brutal force of character assassination has now returned in the opposite direction to boomerang & whack you hard. Have fun Sear!
@thc,
Lap dogs. They need lap dogs.
It’s a kind of self-gratification.
Bad light?How bad can bad be?Its already bad!
Digression:
why did TR delete the romanian embassy car stolen/accident page? police say cannot post?
Hi Wat?
It is not deleted, but in another server. Our site was under attack again yesterday and we have to switch to the other server which explains why some posts and comments are lost.
ST also one sided report abt opposition parties.So ST should apologise ?
AGAIN! geez!
Digression.. again: i kind of realised something the other day. Google at a moment had TR consistantly as its top newslink for a while, when you load their news page. However, after the first so-called “attack”, TR went offline and TR newslinks on google disappeared. ST then took over as the top newslink of google… Now you only sometimes see TR listed as one of the top newslinks.
anyone smells a consipacy here?
OK back to the topic. sorry!
or else what he intends to do? sue?
typical PAP mentality.
this guy claims alex revealed his DB record first but that screenshot clearly shows it was just him clarifying what hock rong had revealed first! haha. classic stuff. shoot urself in the foot.
the reason why he’s now claiming TR put pap in a bad light is bcos he knows he has been cornered. he did something childish and rash. revealing someone’s classified info is a criminal offence and he’s pretty much guilty as daylight. at times like this the PAP usually leave these rotten apples to defend themselves. cos they dont want the whole party name to be smeared by ppl like him. so the only way he can cover his ass now is to claim that the whole PAP is affected by this. all this wayang by hock rong is nothing more than a chance to get PAP to back him. if alex is really interested in justice he shld just take this hero to court since the law is on his side already.
Maybe it’s because of the Sear and r2e article… someone should really look into it
Dont’t play play with HR ok he damned power leh. young age got this award that award. Some ppl took their whole life do so much also got no award. Alex sue him lah, he sure surrender. Just for info..his family anti -PAP lah…don’t tell people your family affected ok. No integrity.
admin,
Had similar problems getting to TR…on and off. What’s happening.. this must not happen during the “cooling off day”.
SysAdmin Note: In anticipation of more attacks come GE, we are preparing and setting up clustering for our site and had to do some DNS tweaking and testing, which is causing our domain to bounce between our clustered servers. This should not happen once DNS is fully propogated.
@Karma, one wouldn’t twitch an eyelid taking on a small small small fly like him. Just b’cos he is in the grassroot organisation doesn’t automatically elevate him to the ranks of the PAPies Elites. Definitely just having lunch of Eunos MPs doesn’t make him one either considering that an MP without any other Millisterial post are as low in the food chain as him.
He like many others low low low in the food chain, is dispensible and can be replaced anytime they are useless or PaPies feels that this joker is a liability to them, just like Millister Yeow, that women big mouth MP dunno what name who will be kicked come next GE, I can’t remember.
Seah should really stop uttering rubbish and grow up. being in the YPAP doesn’t automatically qualify him to be in the PAPies. YPAPies are camps setup by the PAPies for training future lackeys, definitely NOT PAPies.
I can understand YPAPies recruiting Sissies, but now they recruit Brainless Pigs too?
Where’s Alex? Scared his finger and fcuk will be censored here?
Ask him to go fly kite! Same for Anonymous!
janetnt, unless you have proof of Alex Tan smashing up his CO’s house and abusing his CO’s family, you should apologise to him here, publicly, for putting him in a bad light. Accusing him of something he didn’t do in public is defamatory. If what I just said sounds familiar, that’s because that’s exactly how your beloved MIWs always behave, except that in this case, it really IS defamatory.
So janetnt, put up or shut up. Produce irrefutable proof of what you accused Alex Tan of, or admit that you were wrong and apologise publicly for it.
For everyone else, let’s see if janetnt actually does have a sense of honor and does the right thing by either proving her allegations or by withdrawing her remarks, or if she demonstrates the typical bullying cowardice of a MIW supporter by pretending nothing happened instead. My money says that it’s the latter.
Where is the class of our ‘future leaders’?
When one discredits another’s argument by using his history and background, that’s dirty politics. Its like saying: “Your dad is a thief, you’re a thief too!” or “You are an ex-convict, your claims must be evil…”. Then is Mandela evil? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela#Imprisonment)
Like I said in previous comments: “If you are wrong, why not you admit it?” We need leaders who admit mistakes and apologizes.
A Good read for everyone except from those society clowns who make use of kangaroo system and their party to trample on “anonymous” commentators.For these clown, you can stop reading the letter because it is from anonymous source even though it resonates the reality. Besides, those clowns can even challenge people to show their identity to prove their love for Singapore, and if so why not their party start showing the identity of PAP Internet brigade to prove their love for country too before these IB rebutes comments of anti-PAP sentiment?
I doubt those PAP clowns can even think and write such following convincing piece of work.
From http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/
A letter from Ding Ting in London
THE USE OF “ASIAN VALUES” BY THE SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT, SINGAPORE’S PENAL SYSTEM AND SOCIETY AT LARGE.
The Singapore government likes to use “Asian values” and “Asian culture” to explain the things that are “uniquely Singapore”. Caning, death sentences, police permits for assembly and speech, harsh penal punishment, a parliament that is one party with about 82 out of 84 MPs from the PAP, and the list goes on and on.
Singaporeans are always told that western liberal democracy do not work well in Singapore because we are Asian. And today, I have read online K. Shanmugam said in the newspapers that liberal democracy leads to slower development and a lower quality of life, with more tensions within our society.
The newspapers are state controlled by the way. No wonder the news are always bright and cheery and the only complaints that get published are those about mrt, buses, and all kinds of minor issues. Publishing them allows the newspaper to say “Look we do publish criticism too alright!” In reality, you will never get an article in the newspaper saying that “PAP’s policy on xxxx is a failure and it doesn’t work at all” which the British, Americans and citizens of the free world receive.
Back to K Shanmugam’s point that liberal democracy leads to lower quality of life and slower development.
Well, I guess liberal democracy does indeed lead to lower quality of life and more tension within society. That is why Europe, North America , Australia and New Zealand all have lower quality of life compared to Singapore. It is also true that liberal democracy leads to slower development which explains why many of these countries have GDP per capita (nominal) that are 10k USD or more than Singapore. These countries are all in chaos and their citizens are suffering indeed.
Perverted versions of democracy such as those in Russia, Malaysia and Singapore lead to higher quality of life. People in these countries are living the high life.
It is also apparent that the Americans, Europeans and Australians are all dying to give up their citizenships for a Singaporean one because Singapore’s system works so much better, or so we are told by the government.
Oh hang on….. it is actually the other way around. Singaporeans are dying to immigrate into Australia, North America and Europe. These countries have a much higher quality of life and lesser tension within society. At my recent class gathering 4 years ago, I found that 40% of my ex classmates are now living in these countries.
Mr K. Shanmugam goes on to say that only the PAP can deliver good governance.
I have no doubt about that Mr K. Shanmugam. I have learnt over my years in Singapore (when I was still in Singapore) that the PAP are god sent. They are men and women of the highest calibre that cannot be found anywhere else in Singapore or the world.
Mr K. Shanmugam then goes on to mention something about younger voters being more educated and demanding liberal democracy. He then goes on to argue that the best systems are those that fit the society they govern.
Firstly, you either have democracy or you do not. What is democracy if it is not liberal? What in the world is a “closed democracy”? It is not democracy at all. Such democracies are pseudo democracies or hybrid regimes. A hybrid regime is what the Economist classifies Singapore as in its 2008 democracy index survey.
Yes, the younger educated voters will demand democracy. You cannot lie and pull wool over their eyes like you can do with the uneducated voters who can hardly string together a proper sentence in English. The educated voters will be able to discern and make the right decisions. They have seen the world. They know what is right and wrong. They know the best way forward.
The question is, can democracy exist in predominantly Chinese societies? Or is the Singapore government right in saying that as Asians, we do not yearn for democracy and democracy cannot work in Asian/Chinese societies, it is our Asian culture.
The truth is liberal democracy can exist in predominantly Chinese society.
There are only 4 countries in the world that are predominantly Chinese – China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
China is a communistic country, no doubt about it. But look deeper and you would see their citizens are busy immigrating to Europe, North America and even Singapore. I am sure we all have witnessed the growth of the PRC populace in Singapore. Why? They want a better life that is why. They want to enjoy more democracy, more rights. They want to have human dignity.
Hong Kong is now part of China. It is governed under the “one country two systems” rule. Just recently, Hong Kongers took to the streets in hundreds of thousands to march for democracy and universal suffrage. Hong Kongers are especially critical towards interference from the Chinese government in their territory. In 1997, when Hong Kong was to be handed over to communistic China, Hong Kongers were running all over the world desperate to take up a second citizenship before the handover. Hong Kong politicians were practically begging the British to grant them right of abode in the UK so they can escape communist rule. This goes to show how much Hong Kongers value their democracy and rights.
Taiwan has also showed that democracy can function in a majority Chinese society. The Taiwanese are certainly not western, in fact they don’t even speak English at all yet taiwan has a functioning democracy that ranks 33rd in the world. The Taiwanese refuse to rejoin mainland China for this very reason. They would rather risk open war with China than give up their democracy and rights. In Taiwan, there is a healthy functioning liberal democracy. The people have smiles on their faces.
Taiwan has showed that democracy can function in an Asian or Chinese society. The reality in Hong Kong, China and Singapore has showed that Chinese people year to live free. They yearn to have rights and democracy.
Liberal democracy is hardly a western concept like what Singapore’s government would have us believe. How do you define western in the first place? To define something as western and eastern is very infantile. Each sovereign country has its own culture and language. Even in western Europe alone, each country has a distinct language and culture. A German can hardly understand a British. An American can hardly understand a Taiwanese. Yet they come together in their respect for human rights and democracy.
Even in the UK, they have had a long history of dictatorship under the monarch. They have had a terrible history of human rights abuses and torture. Not unlike Singapore, they used to hang and cane people in their recent history. But do they sit around and say lets continue such practices because it is part of British culture? No. They look forward, they choose to change for the better. They do not choose to say this is the British way of doing things and we must have such a system (dictatorship, caning, hanging, torture machines, taking children from their parents and sending them to far away places) in place to fit our society.
The same goes for the French, Germans, Taiwanese, Japanese, Australians, and every other enlightened nations in the world. They all had histories of human right abuses and torture. They all chose to change things and not wallow in their close mindedness and say, lets continue on as it is part of our culture.
The Singapore government likes to keep saying that this is our “Asian” culture, hence, we have to avoid liberal democracy. Hence, we cane people and hang people. Hence, we use very harsh punishment even for minor criminal offences.
To understand how ridiculous many of the punishments in Singapore are as compared to international standards, I will compare the punishment for some offences in Singapore against Australia.
Petty drug use – In Singapore it is 9 months jail. In Australia, it is a very small fine.
Drug trafficking – In Singapore it is the death penalty. In Australia, it is 6-9 years jail.
Overstaying your work visa for 3 months – In Singapore you will be jailed and caned. Permanent scars will be left on your buttocks. In Australia, they won’t even jail you. They will just invite you for a chat and book you on the next plane home.
Almost every punishment in Singapore is manifestly excessive by international standards to be honest. The punishments DO NOT fit the crimes. Why? Because Singaporean’s have no or little individual rights. That is the truth.
Or if you choose to believe the government, it is due to “Asian values”. No doubt, there are plenty more perverted explanations the government can come up with to pull the wool over your eyes.
So is the Singapore government really a fervent believer in “Asian values” as they would have us believe?
Asian values dictate that you serve public office without wishing for extreme riches, you serve because you want to better society and your country. These are the teachings of Confucius and many Chinese heroes, “Yue Fei” being one of them.
If our MPs truly believe in their own trumpeted version of “Asian values”, why do they raise their salaries into the highest in the world then? The Top 30 highest paid politicians in the world are all from Singapore!
A friend of mine once joked that Chen Shui Bian of Taiwan should not have embezzled 15 million USD. He should have taken a leaf out of Singapore’s book and raised his own salary legally to 3 million USD a year by passing a bill in parliament. Within 5 years, he would have 15 million USD in bank.
Why does the Singapore government honour dictators like “Prime Minister” Thein Sein of Myanmar who plunder and murder their own people by naming flowers after them? (Dendrobium Thein Sein).
In Singapore, the teenage vandal gets caned and jailed while a dictator who subverted the will of democracy in his own country and abused human rights has a flower named after him along with the whole suite of VIP treatment. What a joke.
I can understand a government playing host to Myammese dictators to facilitate talks to advance human rights and help the people of Myanmar. But when a government names flowers in honour of dictators, it disgusts me to no end.
In all other developed countries such as America, Canada, UK, their cabinet ministers have no problem commanding million dollar salaries in the private sector too. But they do not demand million dollar wages as MPs. Why? Because they know it is public service, the spirit is in serving the taxpayers and country, not the tax payers and country serving them.
Also, unlike private sector jobs where you can be sacked at an instant, MPs have security of tenure for half a decade. The fame gained in public service would also provide many lucrative opportunities once one retire from public service. It would be ridiculous to peg public sector MP wages to private sector.
“Asian values” are used by Singapore government when it is convenient and when it advances their agenda. “Asian values” are thrown out the window when it is does not advance their agenda.
I am Chinese too. The Chinese certainly did not invent paper by insisting that their culture is to use stones. The Chinese also did not invent cannons and gunpowder by insisting that their culture is to use wooden arrows.
The bottom line is this – Every improvement in society and science is made by looking forward and not backwards. Yet the Singapore government continues to look backwards and say that “Asian values” dictates Singapore cannot do this or that.
Singapore has shown that the government can build an elaborate system that claims to be “democratic”, yet go against the spirit of democracy by utilising their grip on parliament to amend the constitution and pass numerous laws to severely maim the practice of democracy in reality.
This is the main reason why a multi party parliament and democracy must exist in Singapore.
Democracy exists in Taiwan, that is the reason why Chen Shui Bian couldn’t legally raise his wages to 3 million USD a year even if he wanted to. The parliament in Taiwan, being democratic and multi party would certainly have not accepted such a ridiculous preposition.
When Singapore mentions the words “Asian values” you better run and hide because it is most likely bad news for you. Most of the time, “Asian values” has become nothing more than a code word to take away the citizens’ rights and dignity.
Asian values!
RUN!!!
In my case I have ran all the way to Europe.
Sincerely,
Ding Ting In London
(Proud citizen of the UK now).
Here is an Australian perspective of legal definition of “conflict of interest” which is said to be often publicly misunderstood.
At page 12
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/VicOmbRp/2008/2.pdf
“…..there is a common misconception that conflict of interest only arises if a person has done something improper. Perception is a critical aspect of the notion of conflict of interest. It is not sufficient for public officials to simply believe or assert that they will not allow themselves to be influenced in any way by their private interest.
THEY MUST ALSO BE SEEN TO AVOID SITUATIONS WHERE THEY MIGHT BE PERCEIVED AS BEING INFLUENCED BY A PRIVATE INTEREST..”
It is interesting that conflict of interest law application is encompassing to include AVOIDANCE of circumstances and or situations of divided loyalty.
The content of that Ombudsman Report is interesting to say the least.
Maybe that is why in listed companies Board Meetings, directors who have a private interest, either directly or indirectly connected with the subject-matter being so deliberated upon, ABSTAINED FROM ATTENDANCE.
nobody has to say anything…
HR is making a big fool of himself just fine on his own…
reminding….reminding…general disobedience…REMINDING…
WTF?! who bloody cares?!
Admin, what happened to the article regarding the accident that involved an embassy car? Lastest news is that one of the victims died. The “person of importance” from the embassy cannot be found and investigations are still ongoing. Looking forward to an update.