Alec Tok: A shining light for Singapore?
September 3rd, 2010 | 
Author: By Elaine Ee-Meyers from CNNgo.com
Based in New York and Shanghai — and now extending his reach to Singapore — 45-year-old director and filmmaker Alec Tok surprised everyone when he was announced as a candidate for the opposition’s Reform Party earlier this year. Essentially his first foray into politics, Tok was inspired by by the Reform Party’s ambition to go beyond just being the opposition. Here, he discusses how politics impacts his artistic work and the difference between a home and a country.
CNNGo: What brought you to politics and why?
Alec Tok: I joined the Reform Party at the end of 2009. I’ve always been interested in Singapore politics — it’s such an extreme situation that you have to deal with it, relate to it — and the way I’m relating to it right now is to partake in the changing of it, as simple as that. I was really happy when the late J.B. Jeyaretnam decided to make a last bid for parliament because it cemented the need to have someone who could pursue the constitutional struggle in Singapore. Then when he passed away he left a vacuum and that was a big worry for me because it set us back quite a few years. But the vacuum is being filled, rightfully, by his heir, Kenneth [Jeyaretnam]. And I thought, you know what, if you want me, I’m prepared to stand with you.
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22 Responses to “Alec Tok: A shining light for Singapore?”
- Novote2PAP: PAP must bring in as quickly and as many new immigrants as they can to make up for the fast...
- Pro Singaporean: It only shows that : PAP govt wants QTY not quality to booast its GDP?? And...
- VerySian: And also his wife Wang lin, if she still got some brain, should immediately divorce with Yaw now...
- Zhenzidan: 谣言正在满天飞 Rumours are now flying around 开始时还很轻微 Although it started...
- he is going: Yes he lky had his place in history with the rest of the old guards. Are all the old guards...
- VerySian: Sometime reflecting it back, maybe it is the retribution of LTK for not putting Eric into the...
- Cynic: Funny that a post about critical thinking finds its way to TRE, where herd mentality rules, where...
- will4: Titiana Ann Xavier: Foreigners are rushing to buy properties in land-scarce Singapore. With...
- VerySian: This yaw should immediately step down from being an mp with immediate effect ! Singaaporeans are...
- Andrew Java: Yaw, why only from the CEC, as MP AS WELL and let there be a By election, This action is NOT...
- Parameswara: I remember an old geezer casting a very uncalled for remark at our Malaysian neighbours just...
- heartless: Those who make heartless comments here sound suspiciously like the papies, in word and tone,...
- Ken: already got quite a few msian mps in parliament, so this is hardly surprising either sooner or later
The more I see where RP is heading and the people they attract, the more I am convince that they are the “one”
JBJ is my inspiration, a real fighter, a true blue Singaporean, a man with great courage that never flinch in the face of a whole army with absolute power, out to destroy him.
I am fortunate enough to shake his hands before he left us, I will continue the fight my friend, It will be my honor.
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He is based overseas, so kinda difficult for anyone to FIX him. ha ha ha
Hope more and more stepping forward and contest every single seat.
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GOOD give them a good fight and change if can
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Come Dec 2010.
We wait.
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the spirit of JBJ should the spirit of all opposition the incumbents,candidates and voters alike!
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sorry missing words…
the spirit of jbj should be the spirit of all opposition to the incumbents,candidates and voters alike!
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Alex Toc,
You have joined the right opposition party. I see Reform Party will be the new govt be formed in singapore. I trust this party. Not because of JBJ. But because i see it with my foresight ahead that this party will be the first choice for singaporeans.. Dont believe…just wait and see….
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gomez was based overseas. they “fixed” him.
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Screwuli:
September 3, 2010 at 9:37 pm
The more I see where RP is heading and the people they attract, the more I am convince that they are the “one”
Absolutely. Intelligent, articulate, passionate, patriotic. Virtually everything the PAP is not.
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Not only Gomez was fixed, many was fixed in the last 50 years. All because the electorate had no principles and no balls.
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don’t waste time .reform party will r.i.p
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RP like very “jiak-kan-dang” leh…..so ang-mo-pie.
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@wat?: September 3, 2010 at 10:49 pm
“gomez was based overseas. they “fixed” him.”
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No, Gomez was based locally even as he was employed on short term overseas engagement before he was “fixed” and had to work overseas – so as to continue making a living away from an environment which the Pro Alien Party had “fixed” to disadvantage anyone who dare to challenge their interests.
This had been a common feature as seen in the flight of Francis Seow, Tang Liang Hong, Tan Wah Piow, and Ho Juan Thye – and from the earlier period it had included Lim Chin Siong who preferred exile then being imprisoned under the ISA.
Even Chia Thye Poh had to live a reclusive life in Germany after being released from 32 years of cruel imprisonment and confinement under the ISA.
It is fugitive from justice that comes from the Pro Alien Party that will not be fixed, and left alone without further publicity – if one recall Phey Yew Kok, who had fabricated a riot at the union premises of PIEU, so as to fix Tan Wah Piow (then the President of the University of Singapore Student Union). See reference sites below.
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The Price of Truth
http://swordofdemocles.blogspot.com/2005/07/price-of-truth.html
USSU report on the trial of Tan Wah Piow
http://mms.elibraryhub.com/SHC/Donors‘%20Collection/06003_1975003m.pdf
A Page from the Past – an USSU publication
http://mms.elibraryhub.com/SHC/Donors‘%20Collection/170002051.pdf
A Page from the Past – 2
http://mms.elibraryhub.com/SHC/Donors‘%20Collection/170002052.pdf
Price of Freedom
http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/06/06/an-open-appeal-from-a-singaporean-refugee/
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passerby gAL, rip = Rise In Power, izzit? My English not so powderful la……
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Gomezzzz was a mole lah, how could a doctorate guy suddenly forgot to submit the form and threaten the election officials in FRONT OF THE CCTV?
And then they lost the election as the ruling was saying his character is of suspect. He was let off with a stern warning upon his defeat.
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haha, so gomez is mole to bring down wp…..i’ve always suspect how that guy cannot fill up a form properly, so much for his education…
i also wonder why his boss cannot tell or teach him such a simple thing, “filling up a form” and reminders to submit……
now his boss is collecting 13k a month, sitting there, and just collecting, and collecting,,,,,,,how dumb locals really are…….
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i really pity JB as he would have known all about this but kept quiet so as not to destroy the wp logo/name and the opposition too…
a bunch of opportunist at work and they hoodwink the locals thinking, “we have opposition”, what a mess this chinese guys are doing, from malaysia, all the way down here……
stealing and conning the poor people…..
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Gomezzzzz is brushing the tiger teeth. Stupid People!!!!
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who will vote for a MP based overseas?
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@Faber Castell:
September 4, 2010 at 11:36 am
“who will vote for a MP based overseas?”
I would.
You think PAP MPs are any better? Constituents don’t even see some of them and they live and work here. In all the time I have lived in my estate not once did a PAP MP come to visit me.
Get with the times. This is a global world we live in. The Internet has changed our lives and taught people more than our failed education system. Change or die.
@KNNBCCB:
September 4, 2010 at 2:34 am
“RP like very “jiak-kan-dang” leh…..so ang-mo-pie.”
So long as they can speak your language and want a Singapore for Singaporeans, why worry? You ever eat McDonald’s/KFC/army bread and butter? You think they don’t care about you because you act different from them? What is your aleternative? Those who pretend to act like you but don’t give a s*** about you?
@Andrew Chen:
September 3, 2010 at 11:00 pm
“Absolutely. Intelligent, articulate, passionate, patriotic. Virtually everything the PAP is not.”
Amen. And to that I would add brave.
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Alec Tok – Singapore is your country. Do help.
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Advice to RP, when you hit the papies, please do us singaporeans a BIG FAVOUR, HIT THEM VERY VERY HARD for torturing us all these years and worse being a TRAITOR to its own nation, SINGAPORE!.
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