7/18/2012

Exemplary conduct of civic minded citizens



The ST has a pretty good summary of the events leading to lawyer Wong Siew Hong turning up in court to make a representation to the judges while the courts were in session. For a lawyer representing the Law Society to do such a thing is unprecedented and he must have found the matter of grave importance to do it. This is an act that could get him charged for contempt of court. But he is a very brave man, acting without fear or favour, even at risk of offending the judge in a court session.

What happened was that two public spirited professionals, a consultant psychiatrist and a practicing lawyer representing the Law Society, who found something so serious that they must quickly act on it to prevent whatever they thought would happen that could be very bad. This kind of conviction and dedication to walk that extra mile, doing something beyond the call of duty, is truly commendable and the two deserved to be given a medal for civic consciousness, acting for the good of country and people. They acted on their own accord and professionalism, without consulting anyone as it was a weekend. It was like a tsunami approaching and any delay could be a life threatening situation.

On Sat, lawyer M Ravi was examined by psychiatrist Calvin Fones. On Sunday, the police received a report around 8am that someone was causing a disturbance at the Sri Mariamman Temple and the person was Ravi. It was also reported that Calvin Fones alerted Wong Siew Hong who was overseas. When and why he alerted Wong was not stated. Was it because of his examination of Ravi on Sat or was it because of the disturbance at the temple that he came to know about was not clear.

On Mon at 9am, Wong was back in Singapore and called Fones to prepare a letter. He also said he had alerted the Law Society Secretariat and was going to the High Court. There he informed State Counsel David Chong and Ravi that ‘he wishes to get the court to stand down and to inform the judge about the letter in chambers.’ Wong got the letter at 10.45am and entered the court room while hearing was in progress. Judge Pillai did not allow him interrupt the proceedings. After the hearing the two were called into the judge’s chamber and Wong presented the letter. He admitted that there was no precedence of such nature and the judge ruled that as long as Ravi still had a practicing certificate he could continue to represent his client.

Later, not sure what time, Wong went to another court to present his letter again. Justice Quentin Loh too ruled that Ravi could continue to represent his clients.

The event showed how persistent and dedicated was Wong in what he was doing which he must have viewed as of utmost urgency and importance to the good practices of law in the country. The Law Society has also made a statement that the ‘Society not involved in any conspiracy.’ The LSS also stated that Wong ‘decided to go to court “on his own volition” …”LSS is satisfied that although Mr Wong had acted very much on his own, he did so with the best of intentions.”

All the events that occurred only proved that there is a very civic minded lawyer acting on his own, thinking on his own with the diagnosis from a psychiatrist that something must be put right, to do something good. And no joke, the lawyer and psychiatrist were working through the weekend, and trying to rush a letter to court on Monday morning to make sure it got there on time. Such public spirited dedication must be appreciated and highly rewarded. National Day is just around the corner and a National Day Award is deserving as it is unusual for daft Sinkies to work so hard for free but for a good and just cause.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

One question. LSS said Wong acted on his own, not with LSS consent.

What is the court going to do now for a lawyer barging into court to interrupt a session? A lawyer cannot go barging into a court without permission, and a lone ranger for that. Who does he think he is?

Anonymous said...

Me too,I agree that we the citizens of Singapore should be eternally grateful to these two fantastic professional men,Lawyer Wong Siew Hong and Dr Calvin Fones.
PAP government also should be grateful that these two professional remain in Singapore to make their contribution.

Anonymous said...

New method of silencing opposition.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

My apologies. I did not have all the facts when I wrote the article.

I am still figuring what was so death threatening and urgent for a lawyer and a psychiatrist to make voluntary 'out of the blue' submission on the mental health of a lawyer.

Anonymous said...

It is still the old method of silencin opposition, not new.

They will cook up a case against the man, give him a bad name and destroy him politically and financially. Remember the sikh guy who destroyed a presidential challenger? Remember the guy who squealed on Tang Liang Hong?

Or to quote the words of former President Nair: Give a dog a bad name and then skin it.

Never trust MIW or their cronies. You may find it too late to regret.

Anonymous said...

Who is more powerful?

A lawyer barging into court to intercede a court session and telling the judge another lawyer is mad and not fit to be in court,

Or,

A psychiatrist wanting a lawyer to be locked up in IMH?

jjgg said...

RB ...u hit the nail on the head...glory to him if he had succeeded ..otherwise..what a bloody pair of fools!! Fortunately...sense still prevails amongst some of our justices...

Anonymous said...

Political abuse of psychiatry in the Soviet Union and China

SOURCE:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_abuse_of_psychiatry_in_the_Soviet_Union


http://worldcrunch.com/china-silencing-opponents-trip-psychiatric-ward/3368

http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/9079/

Anonymous said...

I have always laugh at Malaysia political events but after seeing so many things happening in Singapore, I think I better stop laughing at the Malaysians. We will be lucky if the Malaysians don't laugh at us. What a shame and to think we are in the 1st World. Swiss standards?

The said...

RB - is there a typo in the name of the psychiatrist? Shouldn't it be Dr Phony?

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

One lawyer is clinically diagnosed as being fucked in the head.

The other players - doctor, other lawyers... are also well and truly fucked in their heads, BUT have yet to be confirmed by clinical diagnosis.

Fucked in the head people are the creators of extraordinary entertainment. We should support them.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Hi The, I swear I don't have bipolar disorder, maybe a bit of dyslexia. And for that, I can't tell the difference between phony and fones. You may be right that I may have typed either without knowing what I have typed.

And before things get too serious, it is better to lock up all the psychiatrists in IMH. Some of the Hollywood movies have sane people being injected with chemicals by psychiatrists that made them insane. These are highly dangerous people.

Ok, ok, I am joke joke only. Please don't use this to say I also got bipolar disorder.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Matilah, you are asking people here to support you?

Anonymous said...

Q. How many kangaroos does it take to change a light bulb?

A. Don't be silly. Kangaroos can't change light bulbs. But they sure pretty stupid when they try.

Anonymous said...

nice article LOL

Anonymous said...

Hahaha.....

it is just a little mad red dot.

Dont have to be alaremd.

Almost all in the red dot are mad to some extend. Those that are well educated and professionally trained not following protocol must the MOST EXEMPLARY MAD PEOPLE AROUND.

Darling

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Somehow I detected that no one is supporting my stand that the two should be given a National Day award.

I still think they should be given the pingkat for meritorious public service.

Anonymous said...

Their actions seem to serve the purpose of discrediting the mouthpiece instead of the root causes; a change in tactics perhaps? It could be that Mdm Vellama was relatively clean on the due diligence checks, or alternatively if they went after her it would create a david versus goliath like scenario, resulting in more loss of public support for the PAP.

Ravi was also instrumental in K Jeyaretnam's bid to implement a blockade on the government's $ 4billion pledge to the IMF.

Effectively, killing 2 birds with 1 stone

Anonymous said...

In Woffle case, Minister of Law came out to explain. For buying expensive bicycles, Minister KBW also came out to help NP. Who will come out and defend LSS? The lpot gets thicker! Better than Taiwanese shows.

Anonymous said...

Correction .... the plot

Anonymous said...

Maybe wong is mad? Need to be warded at woodbridge.

Anonymous said...

yeah i agree with you redbean. both the buggers deserve the public service medal or as it is officially known - Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (PBM) or unofficially known as Pengangkat Bodek Menteri (minister's ball carrier). heheheheheh!

Anonymous said...

Forget Swiss, it is PAP standards.

Anonymous said...

What do you think of a psychiatrist that pronounced a healthy practising lawyer as mad and want to lock him up in IMH?

The judge and executioner?

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Thank you anon 4:07. Finally someone agrees with them. Pingkat or angkat doesn't matter as long as it is a medal.

I got dyslexia, pingkat or angkat looks the same to me.

Anonymous said...

Yes give them the insanity ward.

Anonymous said...

someone quick.
Tell National Geographic.

Sighting of new species of kangaroos in Singapore.
Has white fur unlike the Australian type.

Anonymous said...

Angtau, you are writing like Mr Lucky of the old.
Sadly he doesn't write like as he no longer sees the funny side of how we are going

The said...

Anyone who sees a shrink ought to have his head examined.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Hi Anon 5:29, you have not posted for a long time.

Anonymous said...

dear redbean
pingat means medal
angkat means carry
it is ok to be dyslexic
lky is dyslexic too. heheheh!

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Maaf dato. Pasar bahasa saya tak jalan lah. Tak tau angkat means carry, pingkat means medal.

Now I have problems with dyslexia and bahasa. malu lah.

Anonymous said...

In the days of Justice Bao, the emissary, normally an eunuch, would march into a court and announce the arrival of the Imperial Edict. And the Justice Bao would have to come forward, knelt down to receive and edict and took the instruction from there.

Anonymous said...

wan sui, wan sui, wan wan sui.

Anonymous said...

万岁,万岁,万万岁。。。

'Mat said...

This National Day Wong and Fones should be given an award each for their brave if foolhardy attempts to stop M Ravi in his cases against the PAPigs even though they failed.

If they had succeeded the duo would have been elevated to sainthood!

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Can't imagine what would happen if they have succeeded.