Son of PAP founder and former Barisan leader Dominic Puthucheary may be fielded as PAP candidate in next GE
January 3rd, 2010 | 
Author: Written by Our Correspondent
Dr Janil Puthucheary, who is currently working as a paediatrician at KK Children and Women hospital and as Assistant Professor at Duke-NUS medical school, may be fielded as a candidate for the PAP in the next general election due by 2011.
Dr Janil is the son of Mr Dominic Puthucheary, a founding member of the PAP who later defected to Barisan Sosialist in 1961. He was arrested and detained without trial for a few years under Operation Coldstore in 1963. After his release, he was banned from entering Singapore until the orders were lifted in 1990. He now lives in Kuala Lumpur.
A grassroots leader with Radin Mas CCC under Tanjong Pagar GRC, Dr Janil raised some eyebrows when he was given the rare honor to speak at the PAP Party Convention last November leading to speculations that he may contest in the next general election.
In his maiden speech titled “Turning challenges into opportunities”, Dr Janil urged Singaporeans not to be afraid to take risks and accept setbacks in the process of turning a series of challenges into opportunities.
Dr Janil has indeed walked his talk by joining the PAP which once put his father and other Barisan leaders under detention without trial.
Besides Mr Dominic Puthucheary, other key leaders of the Barisan Sosialist who were detained by the PAP are Lim Chin Siong, Fong Swee Suan, James Puthucheary, Dr Lim Hock Siew, Dr Poh Soo Kai and Chia Thye Poh.
Chia Thye Poh was detained for 32 years without trial followed by Dr Lim (19 years) and Dr Poh (16 years). They were never charged in court for any offences.
Recent declassified documents from the British National Archives suggest that the “communist threat” was “played up” by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew to persuade the British and Malayan governments to agree to a joint security operation to eliminate his political opponents in Singapore.
In a letter to London by a British senior official in Singapore, Lord Selkrik wrote:
“Lee is probably very much attracted to the idea of destroying his political opponents. It should be remembered that there is behind all this a very personal aspect…he claims he wishes to put back in detention the very people who were released at his insistence – people who are intimate acquaintances, who have served in his government, and with whom there is a strong sense of political rivalry which transcends ideological differences.”
[Source: British National Archives]
Dr Janil would most probably be fielded as a candidate in Tanjong Pagar together with his father’s nemesis Lee Kuan Yew, assuming he is still mentally and physically sound to take part in the next election.
Perhaps Dr Janil may like to ask Lee for an explanation on why his father was detained when there was no concrete evidence suggesting that he was a security threat to the nation.
Posted in Editorial
If this guy really joins pap, all the more I’m convinced that pap is made up of people with no scruples, no piety and no sense of justice.
this guy has been promised paradise.
“strong sense of political rivalry which transcends ideological differences.”
Personally I would have highlighted this portion.
LKY’s Ego Trumps All.
We need people like him to steer Singapore to where the wind blows!
Is it scruples, no piety,sense of justice or working within the system for a change??? Knowing that the system for all its flaws and dominance by one man was in place to put Singapore in the world map.
Why rock the boat when you can work from within to make a change after all how much more time has the Old Man left.Not surprise if the old man step down this election knowing full well the Boo Boos he had made and created the last 45 years even though some credit is due to him for Singapore’s success.
Meanwhile the opposition should gear itself for a good support to increase their seats and if possible deny PAP a two third majority.”FOOD FOR THOUGHT”
What do you expect? Such people will sit on the fence and sway to those who can provide them with bread and butter.
He cannot come out on his own as he knows that Singaporeans shun doctors who are not chinese unless they are exceptionally fantastic!
i think theres a typo on the last paragraph
Who is the guy ? Dr J. maybe he read “the story of Singapore” and apply how it work to gain power ? what am I talking ? you have to read the book lah.
reminds me of Villefort in the count of monte cristo…
The deputy crown prosecutor in Marseille who jailed Edmond Dantès on discovering that the recipient of the letter from Elba is his Bonapartist father. Villefort chooses to save his political career (he is non bonapartist) and condemns Dantès without trial to life imprisonment and protects his father by destroying the incriminating letter.
Sad story.
this is nothing new
1) Janadas Devan, Straits Times Report, Son of Devan Nair, Former President of Singapore
Janadas works for the very newspaper that was part of the program to demonise and humiliate Devan Nair as an alcoholic and womaniser. He openly takes a biased attitude in favour of PAP just like any other ST journalist, even though PAP was the one who demolished his father.
2) Philip Jeyaratnam, joining Public Service Commission
Even though his father JBJ was unfairly treated by the civil service, which caused him to leave the AG service in disgust, Philip is now part of that civil service. PSC always have adopted a biased attitude in favour of PAP, yielding to interference of PAP within its work and yet Philip has joined it.
Naiveness or Weakness
I dont think its naiveness of these guys to join an agency which is part of the grand scheme that humiliated, destroyed and unfairly and unjustly made their fathers a pariah. I dont think they are naive to think they can go in and change things whatsoever. Instead their weakness. They feel unable to challenge that grand scheme and set right the injustices that was done to their fathers. They want to also survive within the country and they have two choices. One to continue the battle of their fathers. Two to join the other side to show they are not interested in further battle.
Nobody is calling them to harbour enmity and to go for tit for tat in order to seek revenge. That is evil. But they need to stand up for their fathers and most of all fight to ensure other fathers do not suffer the same fate as their fathers by that grand scheme.
i wont for dr.janil puthucherry if he stands for election…. if he cant defend the injustices his father was subjected to, how is this guy going to defend me?
Dr Janil would most probably be fielded as a candidate in Tanjong Pagar together with his father’s nemesis Lee Kuan Yew, assuming he is still mentally and physically sound to take part in the next election.
- Obviusly he is not mentally sound looking at the statements that he has been making in his recent trips overseas.
Maybe Dr Janil Puthucheary wants to take back PAP for his father who was the founding member of PAP.
Moreover he would have been assured of being a MP or possibly a ministerial role later to get into the act of earning big time monies. His father must be proud of his smart son who knows his sum so well.
It is interesting to see who is hoodwinking who in this charade.
PM is welcoming all his and his father’s adversary to his fold and seduce them with a ministerial post. This will ensure that opposition will not get any talent in their fold. It is such a shrewd political move.
Please Singaporean, it does not mean that the sons of oppositions are concerned with local and native people or our life and death. They are more concerned with their own personal affairs. How to make the bucks before they kick the bucket is primary their target. They are not any sort of hero even they were sons of past heroes. For Singaporean, we continue to support opposition to the ruling party irregardless of whatever the shifting. So long as they are not with the opposition, they are against the people wishes and we must vote them out until we have an alternate government in the making. Lets stay focus and do what a citizen got to do.
What to do… doctor is a protected profession in Singapore.
Will the combination of NMP scheme and increase in seats and people like this guy whose father was detained without trial swing enough votes over to secure another 50 years?
//southchinasea
well said.
reminds me of Anakin Skywalker..
2 examples:
Janil P and Philip J.
Allow me to digress into something else.
What if all opposition talents join PAP?
Many of us had grown up seeing Chinese & Indian movies where sons grow up to avenge the injustice done unto their fathers or mothers….and we cherish such filial piety.
But in reality many suffers from “Oedipal complex”..The antagonism between the father and son which is a typical, inter-generational conflict that prefigures the individuation of the male child.Akin to sibling rivalry.Such rivalries is not a simple matter; lives are lost and kingdoms were laid in ruins.
So is PAP taking advantage of this complex between fathers & sons eh?-mewonder ,what was the bargaining that went behind the doors.
Notwithstanding ,perhaps these sons should also consider the public perception they now project.It would be that ‘my father was wrong all along’ ..Sad!
no backbone!
I shall give it the benefit of the doubt that he is some kind of double agent spy sent to infiltrate the PAP.
Or is it possible that money can buy everything including dinity and justice?
very interesting drama……..hope it will be a interesting and successful mission.
How better to fight the Empire then from within I say, eh!! First PJ, now JP. Revenge is sweetest when served cold
Ah…I prefer to think this guy is going to sleep with the enemy…
All new PAP candidates will be srcutinized as LHL said that the next PM will come from 1 of them. Will this attract ppl who has designs on the throne?
background on janil
“Your name means nothing if you can’t deliver,” said the activist, who was born in Malaysia, studied in Britain and ,Australia, and who became a citizen after coming to Singapore in 2001.
“My father is very supportive of my PAP role. I passionately believe in ‘Majulah Singapura’ (the national anthem, which means Onward Singapore), but ‘united’ may be a word with many interpretations.
When a Cheque drop to the ground, even the blind can see !
if pap got the balls, pls fill him in SMC, and let Kenneth Jeyaratnam from Reform Party fight him one to one,don’t hide under Lee Kuan Yew’s skirt.
This is a trick from the PAP ! Oh the real PAP is coming back!
we’re going to have more transparency. more demoracy. Vote for the PAP one more time.
3/1/10
This chap is another elite from the Minority Singaporean ie Indian and looks like the PAP trusts more Singaproean Indians.
Regards
Andrew Chuah
Andrew what is the matter with you???He Dr. Janil is just like you and I we belong to the Human Race.
3/1/10
Hi PeterL-I am ok, nothing wrong with me. My stand remains the same ie there is an unwritten and informal Social Contract since our independence ie the majority race which is the Chinese must lead and run the nation ie the PM post and important Cabinet positions such as Finance, Education and Home Affaris must be held by Chinese (like with our neighbouring Malaysia where the majority Malay-Bumiputra race).My fear is we are heading this way and one day when we the Singaporean Chinese wakes up, we find the government is controlled by minority Indians and we are like another Fiji where the Indians once ruled before being kicked out by the Army dominated by the local people.
I am not a racist and this has been confirmed by our PM LHL
ie the PM cannot come from the minority races which i take it most likely from the Indian (the Malays are not that ambitious).
Regards
Andrew Chuah
■Political SalesMaN on Sun, 3rd Jan 2010 4:57 pm
“When a Cheque drop to the ground, even the blind can see !”
I like what you wrote.
■Anonymous on Sun, 3rd Jan 2010 12:36 pm
“- Obviously he is not mentally sound looking at the statements that he has been making in his recent trips overseas.”
If I may add:
“When you win you do not need to explain, when you lose, you should not be there to explain.” -Hitler
Fight from inside out.
Good move.
My guess is “Andrew Chuah” is an indian in person.
3/1/10
Hi Peter L Johanson-Good to hear from you. I am a proud local born Singaporean Chinese and I will never want to be a local born Singaporean Indian (the third minority race after the Malays).
Regards
Andrew Chuah
I am shocked that the Puthucheary son has so easily forgiven about the misdeeds done to his father. Where was he when his father was locked up without any charge or trial?
The poor senior Puthucheary must now be turning in his grave.
Any other son would have sought revenge and fight against his own father’s tormentor. What a disappointment.
Suffering defeat again when victory is within reach?
Where the wind blows…my bros…where the wind blows…
Not trying to be stereotype here though…if you know what I mean.
I have to agree that the PAP candidates are the best people that money can buy.
For promised paradise, Dr. Janil can easily gave up filial piety. Mr Dominic must have suffered a hard blow, curse and swear at his very own son.
@Vengence – let me guess why he behaves in this way unlike any other son.
1) Maybe he was not really his father’s son.
Nobody ever tell him what happened to his father.
2) His father did not give him pocket money to school.
3) His father was a gentleman and tell him to forgive and forget.
4) His father had revealed a secret to him, that he was a undercover for Mr. Lee.
5) His father ill treated his mother.
6) His father never around during his birthday.
7) His father gave his inheritance to outsiders and not a cent to him.
9) His father ideology was flawed unlike PAP always right never wrong.
10) As a doctor he must forgive everyone of his father’s enemy.
Take your pick on the likeliest reason for his unusual behavior.
Dominic is still very much ALIVE its his brother James that had passed on.
Sometimes I wonder whether the hullabaloo in the net are written by some people not invited for tea,hence the angst??? “FREEDOM OF SPEECH & COMMENTS”
Let’s give this guy another chance.
Given the politcal clout that PAP has, maybe it would be easier to change from within than going straight up against them.
Hopefully, he can be a voice of reason and moderation in PAP.
Like it or not, he may still run under PAP’s umbrella, but lets be more optimistic and hope that someday, there’ll will be a whistle blower like Mr Ong Teng Chong
what a disgrace to his father.. who suffered so much under the PAP!
Getting onto a high speed train that is about the crash head-on into a terminal station?
Or
Going there to pick up the expected wreckage with a view take over leadership in the aftermath and set new directions from there?
WILL BE INTERESTING TO WATCH
If Dominic himself approve of his son’s decision,who are we to question and criticize???
In a letter to London by a British senior official in Singapore, Lord Selkrik wrote:
“Lee is probably very much attracted to the idea of destroying his political opponents. It should be remembered that there is behind all this a very personal aspect…he claims he wishes to put back in detention the very people who were released at his insistence – people who are intimate acquaintances, who have served in his government, and with whom there is a strong sense of political rivalry which transcends ideological differences.”
This sounds like the witch-hunt in some literature text I studied, where people were accused to be witch and their land and wealth being confiscated some of the committee members of the small towns.