Massive outcry among Singaporeans over arrest of YOG critic Abdul Malik by police
August 26th, 2010 | 
Author: A massive outcry has erupted among Singaporeans following the arrest of YOG critic Mr Abdul Malik by the Singapore police two days ago ostensibly for “inciting violence and public disorder” with a comment he posted on Facebook.
Mr Malik (picture left) posted the comment in response to the YOG food poisoning scandal involving 26 YOG volunteers on 15 August. He wrote that it is time to “burn the sports minister and PAP” and called on Singaporeans to “rally around and vote them out.”
He was arrested at his workplace two days ago by three plain-clothes police officers from Bedok Police Division whose Commander is DAC Teo Chun Ching and Head Investigator is DSP Goh Tat Boon.
The shocking news spread like wildfire throughout cyberspace leaving many netizens flabbergasted at the action taken by the authorities and lampooning the PAP regime for its “paranoia”
[Please sign the petition demanding a public apology from Dr Vivian Balakrishnan for mismanaging the YOG here.]
Below is a snapshot of the original comment posted by Mr Abdul Malik on Facebook:
Nicholas Lynn felt it is a “massive overreaction” while Ng Hong Wei wrote that the arrest showed that Singapore is ”a police state masked by the name of democracy”.
Charlene Zhang thought that the arrest was a “scare-tactic” and it would not stop her from continuing to criticize the YOG.
Chew Keng Hui asked:
“How about the word flame? He is being flamed by the people for misusing the funds and messed up the event. He deserved to be flame. The word flame here does not literally equates to setting the person on fire.”
Mr Malik’s arrest was reported by international news agency AFP and was soon reproduced in all the major papers in the world.
Coincidentally the AFP report contained a potentially “provocative” sentence which may “incite violence and public disorder” according to the unique understanding of the Singapore police.
“Vivian Balakrishnan, the minister for community development, youth and sports, has come under particular FIRE from online critics over the games.”
[Source: AFP, 25 August 2010]
Instead of being intimidated into silence, the fiasco has brought young Singaporeans together in support of Mr Malik.
Mohammad Shahid wrote:
“Abdul Malik Ghazali, we are behind you. They have squandered our taxpayers money and what did we get? There’s more publicity for the Commonwealth and even Asian games rather then this silly YOG business.”
[Source: I hate YOG]
Even the usually meek Channel News Asia has expressed tacit support for Mr Malik by highlighting the level of support for him:
“Some in cyberspace rallied to Abdul Malik’s defence. One Facebook poster calling himself “Kok Meng” wrote “seems like even metaphors are forbidden these days”. “Police should get a grip and let loose. We are a democracy.”"
DISCLAIMER:
The above words highlighted in RED are reproduced from other sources and not meant to “incite violent and public disorder”.
Related articles:
>> Singapore police put YOG on world map
>> Did Dr Vivian lodge police report against YOG critic?
>> YOG critic arrested by Singapore police
>> Participant of “I hate YOG” Facebook arrested by police
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Posted in Editorial, Y O G | 
Tags: Abdul Malik, arrest of YOG critic, Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games
Ha Ha Ha, massive outcry????
No leh, don’t see it anywhere except in TR and some usual anti-government blogs only what???
But of course, TR have to make such statements to make it as though they had mobilized people’s thoughts on such issues, but really, if someone were to post a blog telling you that I’m going to burn you, would you not react? Ha Ha Ha!
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When they came for the communists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I did not speak out;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I did not speak out;
I wasn’t a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
Pastor Martin Niemöller
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OPPOSITION ALL THE WAY. OPPOSITION ALL THE WAY.
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I sense coming GE will be a freak election.
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Malik, jus for standing up against these “Shameless” bunch…you have my vote. I believe you too will have the Minority standing behind you.Do not worry,many minority working at SPFf are standing behind you.
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Go Malik Go!! U the man!
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I often hear people referring to the word “Democracy”. I wonder.. which brand of Democracy they refer to..
All forms of Democracy have to do with varying degrees of personal freedoms but, total freedom is but another name for anarchy.
While it is very easy to be a heckler in a crowd and cry foul every time someone drops the ball, wouldn’t it be far better to step up to the plate, pick that ball up and do something better?
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WE HAVE ENOUGH OF PAP NONSENSE CRAPS. CAST PAP OUT. CAST PAP OUT.
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Sg.. youngers talk only, but no actions. Talk is cheap.
But won’t dare to vote out pap gov.
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This is just a case of killing the chicken to scare to monkeys. Not the first time and neither will it be the last time we see such tactic. The question now is, will all the other bloggers start fall in line? Has the rule changed so much that the old tactics don’t work anymore? Let’s see……
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How stupid can one gets?! Abdul Malik Ghazali is yr example!
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what if Osama had use a metaphor to declare his attack on the twin tower. and CIA did nothing. after 911, who will then take CIA to task?
note, Malik was not throw into jail, he was questioned and released!
TR trying to rally who?
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cheong
ya rite ……….i m gonna burn your ass…
hahahahaha
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CRAZY STUPID GAHMEN!
They think they own Singapore!
But they don’t own the people!
Spend the country’s money like gamblers!
All the policies causing families destruction!
Make way for YOG buses!
Students are forced to attend!
Can’t wait for the election to show them where they stand!
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So when we slam or hammer someone on the Internet we are inciting violence or making physical threats? In that case why is assault and battery, actually beating someone up in other words NOT a criminal offence then? Are the police actually saying that it’s NOT okay to use metaphors that conjure up images of physical violence (e.g. slam, hammer, flame, burn) but it’s perfectly ACCEPTABLE to actually PHYSICALLY beat up someone? And considering that a person who’s the victim of a physical assault will be charged with rioting if he fights back, does that mean that self-defence is NOT acceptable?
ypap member eric how actually said that low income people should blame their ancestors for their bad karma that they were born poor. Isn’t this statement inflammatory, seditious even? After all, Christians and Muslims DON’T believe in karma, so isn’t he imposiing his religious views upon them, an act that is regarded as sedition under the law? WHY did sinha sekhar receive an award from pm lee when he made the highly inflammatory statement that the government’s critics are dogs?
What’s wrong with this picture?
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Should just let him off lah….
maybe a warning…. not to use such words. Burn, Fire, Flame
all scary words for MIW after you know what lah….
Now already Malays all pissed off,…. no house… sleep in tents and angry ….no jobs,….. too many PRC & India
MIW want to make them angry somemore….especially this month…Ramadan some more.
Learn how to take it lightly lah….
Oh No maybe …light is also a wrong word.
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This incident must surely confirm that Singaporean netizens are color blind and share common solidarity that cut across ethnicity when the chips are down.
Kudos to all true blue SINGAPOREANS.
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well if rhe police found Molotov cocktails and pyro equipment ready to burn vivian in Abdul Malik Ghazali’s house, then it obviously puts his words as an actual threat and the police more should arrest him…
but well, arresting a guy who speak in metaphors….
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The authority is using its power to catch him as a scrapegoat to frighten away our netizens and antiPAP supporters where the freedom of speech is suppressed. I don’t seem Abdul Malik had done any wrong doings except he used his mouth to talk and poke funs only. If he is doing anything wrong like arming himself with the weapons and going into the streets to threaten anybody; or ganging up with his men to protest or hiding any dangerous weapons at home or what.
I think that the police has no evidence to charge him in court except that Abdul Malik is now being harass by the police for interrogations on and off at the police station. I can still remember a worker party, Mr. Gomaz? was also harass by police in this similar situations where in the end, his case was squashed but only causing Mr. Gomaz alot of inconvience.
Again, I am not sure is that anybody at the back complains to the police or the police use its intiative to arrest him?
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to Abdul Malik, backside itchy. dunno head, dunno tail, brainless comments.
to police, nothing else better to do.
to netizens, dun be the next one.
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Democracy, this is accountability. If someone told you i am gonna burn you, surely you would expect the police to take action right?
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It’s seventh month isn’t it. So much burning yet still not enough.
Wow, really hot, burn this burn that, spreading like wildfire. are we in hell?
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so …if indeed what Malik posted is a metaphor, what do u (pap-haters) understand “..burn..” as ?
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How did they come to know the person who posts in the forum? Is it possible that someone used my Ip address to post, though I may know who he is and what he posted, should I bear the penalty if it offended others?
Is there already an existing Law regarding what is a chargeable offence when using the internet?
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this guy has history. he has issues. morally and ethically salah. so how do i even trust?
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What is the cut off age that will not be punishable by Law for posting offending messages? 21years old? 18 years old? 15 years old?
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im ref to the other guy
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lt456:
August 26, 2010 at 10:15 am
It is a GOOD DISTORTION THERE with your comment below!
“If someone told you i am gonna burn you, surely you would expect the police to take action right?”
WRONG, COMPLETELY WRONG!!!
Public Prosecutor
asked Bill Clinton): Did you have sex with Monica Lewinsky
Bill Clinton: I never had sex with that woman!
Public Prosecutor: Is oral sex means having sex?
Bill Clinton: “it depends upon how you interpret the word “is”.
WAS BILL CLINTON INDICTED FOR SEX WITH MONICA??
So if someone said to YOU – I am going to burn YOU, well that is different if someone say I am going to burn all those stupid arses who argue illogical with me. DOES THAT THREATENS YOU – the catchword is “YOU”. Would the police act on that? My correct answer of fact and of law is a BIG NO. The later comment is NOT PERSON-SPECIFIC AS RELEVANT TO YOU but the generality of import of language did NOT threaten you even though you might argue illogically. PLENTY OF PEOPLE ARGUE ILLOGICALLY IN KOPITIAM, PUBS, CYBERSPACE BLOGGS OR EVEN IN FAMILY. There is contextual relevant as what Bill Clinton says correctly – it depends on your interpretation of the word “IS”.
In your false analogy, it all depends on the word “YOU” of person specific.
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huh ?????!!!!! like that also kanan arrested ! Look like they are looking for scapegoat.
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Admin,
Is there a software glitch somewhere?
How come an emoticon appear in that line above?
Public Prosecutor asked Bill Clinton): Did you have sex with Monica Lewinsky
strange!!
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In GE2006, it was said that the the pap won aljunied grc because of votes from malay singaporeans.. This coming GE, let’s see whether pap can still win aljunied grc..
I hope to see Sylvia Lim gets elected this time round..
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Frankly folks,
If anybody plan to do anything bad to the incumbent government doofus or anybodies “closely” associated with them….they won’t state in the “open” in a forum…they will do it “hidden-like”…are enough people who are in charge of things thinking straight or jumping at “shadows”…nuts lah…
It is the “silent” and “quiet” ones that we should be worrying about…and really be afraid about…a human being under termendious pressure and have no way out….can do nutty stuff out there lei.
instead of getting paranoid over “open-in-the-air” statements or worse that being look at “wrongly” or being “bump” into accidently or smelling someone “poison” stink/fart/body odour/bomb when the person can’t controlled thus has to release is going to be hopefully not “criminal or intimidation”…where are we shit in the creek going with this and where is the exact line to stop if any….
the only “reason” i can think of why some someones jump the gun in this case is probably due to a “guilt” complex over the many wrongs done past and present. It is just too obvious man….
And if this way of doing things persist…it will only make things more bleaker and more worse as this will create the conditions of making a almost tight pressure cooker even more pressurized until it well implode from within and without…don’t these people who are initiating and creating these conditions understand basic human pyschology 101.
Better to have places to let off harmless steam then keep in shut without release…else it will blow up in all our faces and for what…this is also like basic physics 101 too.
Haiz.
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strumtruppen,
You are right. If I want to harm somebody, would I want to lay
out my plans and tactics for the world to see?
So Malik’s word should be taken in context especially when we read
the following line about “we need to rally to vote out PAP”
So he is implying more about kicking out the PAP minister
By the way, why does the Police seem to react fast in taking action
when PAP Ministers or MPs are involved whereas when members of
public who get whacked and culprits are not detained because its not a seizable offence ?
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He should use “Fire xxx” and not “burn xxx”, although they have the same meaning, but the desperate gahmen use its literal meaning as excuse.
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this confirms it- Big Brother is watching everything and needs only the slightest excuse to hang you by the balls. let’s see how much mileage they can get out of the word burn.
it appears that they don’t have the guts to respond to criticism head-on but will rely on charges like “inciting violence” to get you instead.
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They only can bully singaporeans who have less money or no connection with the Elite FAMILY
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We netizens are minority. Don’t forget. Most singaporeans are old people and the rest is FTs. The youngsters who get in on temasek review is actually very few. we are like 5% of the population. Most working adults are stressed enough at work to surf net and see the truths on the net. They are brainwashed by the papers. So expect PAP to comfortably win the next GE. Mark my words.
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“Police should get a grip and let loose. We are a democracy.””
in SINgapore,there is no democracy,only lee’s brand of “democracy”
so wake up and smell the sunshine old boy.
unless you are one of them elitist shithead,you are jus numbers to be added or removed.
thats “democray” singapore style for you.
so next GE if you vote for pap,then don’t complain when the police come knocking on your doors.
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Where got violence? Where is the street protestors?
Anyhow wack charges leh
The word “intention” to create violence is highly debate-able
I had the intention to sleep with Meg Ryan,
But had the crime comitted yet?
You can charge somone base on “intention”
Show us any S’porean after reading it become violence
I think such logic hor, you can arrest Judas Priest for intention of seling suicidal thoughts. you can arrest Videos games for the intention of selling violence. And we should banned action movies
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tan: August 26, 2010 at 12:44 pm
Well….i am sorry to say and state George Orwell who wrote the book “Animal Farm” can predict the future more accurately then many other people who claim other wise.
In Singapore…it is a pity to see the below words taken from the book is so applicable to what is happening in and around Singapore…
“Some animals are more equal then other animals” or “Four legs good but 2 Legs are Better!”
For Singapore to move forward…we need everyone or almost everyone to be able to ask themselves real factual questions as well as to think truely independently and critically…and not afraide to state real facts to the powers that be….then suck up to self-preserve oneself or selfish personal agendas with “BS” information to the powers that be…thus leading to all kind of issues/real on-the-ground problems to everyone in the end. At least LKY and the previous leaders of PAP walk the ground and listen and actuate plans before 1980….after the 1980s…what the hell happen? Only those who agreed with me always are the “best”?
Kind of sad to see this.
Whatever happen to the real intellectuals of singapore….guess they have either left or fold in without anymore proper thinking to toe the line and to suck up for more finite gains…but at the cost of the infinite to singapore and its people.
Sad lei.
I also feel like becoming another “When you are gone” too by Bryan Adams…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W2jONIjrM0&ob=av2n
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Malik might be referring to some players using Infected by the name “Vivian” and “PAP” in the game Left4Dead.
Students! watch your words, do not mention words like BURN midnight oil in public. cos you might be arrest for the the intent to vandalize.
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one whole bunch of adults with brains no better than my dog
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SINGAPORE is a LEEmocracy country.
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FREE ABDUL MALIK!
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This is a case of overreaction by the authorities that made Singapore a proven case of a Police State. Every levels of Police is in direct control by the ruling party. And we have these police officers keen to score brownie points with their masters.
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What to do it’s has happened
So it’s has proven
The power of the unseen can’t win the lighting party
So much for the fierce seventh month.
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massive outcry, where where? any riot? LOL. most of the people in my office and i met at NATAS travel fair is not having outcry leh, the more comment sentiment is actually, tat guy is dumb.
bikesexual, theres no need to free him, malik is at home now….
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Dumb because he speak what he felt is justice or dumb because many of us would rather save our own skin?
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At least the YOG is bloody over now, BIGGEST NON EVENT EVER!
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Malik should have used his native Malay word “GORENG” instead of “Burn”
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Hmm…..Why do malay always use strong word??
Anyway, abdul malik has to be responsible for what he has done.
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Then according to this silly logic, anyone caught using “F_U” online could be seen as threatening sexual violence/assualt???
PAPayas are really just too silly….
Hope I don’t get tracked down and get dragged somewhere in the middle of da nite for this….. but I ask: “are we North Korea in disguise?”
Haiyo, don’t lah, why do you pple want to bully Vivian Balacockernathan??
Vivian ah Vivian….
Guys; remember, if ya mistreat da ladiez then you won’t be gett’in any lov’in tonite…
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The world is watching.
Let us not give them another reason to group us together North Korea and Sudan.
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When I read it in the context of the post, “burn” here means or the stated intent is “Vote them out”. You have to read the whole thing in the right context.
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Definition of the word. Place it yourself in proper context.
http://onlineslangdictionary.com/definition+of/burn
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what he did was real stupid. Mr Malik has gone overboard by making such a statement. A group of simple minded people may have taken that call and put it to action. All you need is an incident and that may spark off a major trouble in the country. I think people in the younger generation should be taught how to exercise control and be responsible for their own words and action, despite even if he meant to be a joke. This is not a joke, as one minster has been badly burnt before. He should be at punished or at least given a stern warning.
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All this may just be a show put up by the gahmen to frighten ppl into not airing further anti-gahmen protests/opinions via the internet.
Who knows, Malik himself may well be gahmen chosen person to air such grievances, get himself arrested, charged/fined and then conveniently disappeared without trace/forgotten to make SPORE citizens think twice b4 they post any anti-gahmen views online, given the widespred reach of the internet via facebook etc these days.
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Also if so easy kena charged for anti gahmen opinions, then the ppl at TR and those who post in the forums would also be invited to lim kopi by gahmen ppl/ISD already right? Unless of course these ppl also gahmen picked to test water b4 the GE lah.
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Yeah… think so too. my sentiments exactly.
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****Who knows, Malik himself may well be gahmen chosen person to air such grievances, get himself arrested, charged/fined and then conveniently disappeared without trace/forgotten to make SPORE citizens think twice b4****
u do not deploy unnecessary resources to do something which won’t work or which is not catching up fast enough of what people understand & learn from one another in the surrounding environment. it is better to clear up the rubbish rather than wasting time & resources expecting people to take your rubbish.
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PAP got the time and resource to hunt down facebook critics but no time and resource to prevent floods and blackouts. They should be focusing on constructive things instead.
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There is a valid reason for the massive outcry among Singaporeans and netizens due to the questioning by the Internal Security Dept and subsequent arrest of YOG critic, Mr Abdul Malik by the Singapore police.
Abdul Malik using the monicker, Malik Syasha Sotongz had commented in a Facebook on 18/8/2010 at 6.02 pm, “This is the time for us to burn Vivien Balakrishnan and the PAP!!! Rally together and vote them out!!!”
Due to the mismanaging of YOG by MCYS minister, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and other incompetent PAP ministers like in handling the recent floodings and Pro Alien Party’s pro-foreigner and ultra-liberal immigration policies, what Abdul Malik is trying to mean is rallying Singaporeans to apply burn (meaning intense anger) to MCYS minister, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and the dominant ruling party and to vote them out during election time.
So the word, “Burn” here does not literally means “To destroy with fire” but means idiomatically “To be Very Angry”.
So what Abdul Malik is trying to state in the Facebook is – “This time we are now very angry with the incompetent Dr Vivian and PAP and rally local voters to vote the PAP out during this coming general election!!!”.
So if Abdul Malik is to be unjustly convicted by a PAP compliant Singapore court, I predict all the Malays voters will show their support and vote for the opposition parties during this coming general election.
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As far as I know, I am a Singaporean who is going to vote OUT the PAP no matter what. I talk the talk, and I will walk the walk. The way PAP is handling things now, nothing can get worse. If I am being slowly “slaughtered” by these arseholes, I have nothing else to lose.
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good action done by the govt. Come on, the netizens trolling around should just stop. before you get caught as well. The guy was caught becos he claimed to want to set fire on the minister. Last year a minister got really set on fire. remember, it like making terrorist threats. He deserve it!
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