6/04/2016

Who is advising Hsien Loong?

‘The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) strongly urges the Government of Singapore to stop this harassment and ensure that bloggers are proetected against such unjustified interference with or reprisals for the exercise of their right to freedom of expression.

By resorting to this kind of harassment and intimidation of bloggers, Singapore is showing complete disregard for human rights and the rule of law,” said Sam Zarifi, ICJ’s Regional Director for Asia and thePacific.

“The Government of Singapore must stop intimidating citizens who express their political opinions openly. The actions taken by the Singaporean police against the four bloggers do not only constitute an attack on freedom of opinion and expression in the country, but also clearly violates their right to privacy.” He added.’

The above is quoted from an article in the TRE titled ‘ICJ: End harassment of bloggers in Singapore’ quoting source from ICJ’s website.

I am not going to discuss about the subject matter, about what Roy Ngerng, Teo Soh Lung or The Independent Singapore wrote during the Cooling Day of the by election. I will also not touch on the police actions and how they conduct their investigations. I am trying to understand the motivation for the govt or Hsien Loong to allow this to go on the way it did.

Hsien Loong must have a team of political advisers working for him just like his father LKY. These are very experienced and professional people, could be ministers or some people he really trusted for their good judgement and sense of reality and proportion. They are the people that would assist him, give their views and opinions or anything, particularly in this case, political critics.

LKY lived in a very different time, with very different kind of political opponents, different value system, with a less educated population, without the social media, in a world when drastic measures were swallowed without much question by the people and international organizations. The world has since moved on, everything has changed, values, morals, a more educated and enlightened population, more NGOs and a 24/7 social media presence. The social and political tapestry is very different and using old methodology and tactics to deal with current situation may seem out of sync.

LKY listened to his advisors and their views and made his own decision. He decided what should be the final outcome, what should be done, and would throw out bad advices that would not solve the problems but caused him more and greater problems if he went ahead with them. He took many tough decisions and gambled with the outcomes. The situation in his time was tough and rough.

The situation today cannot be that rough and tough. Maybe I did not have the full picture, the full inside story. Under today’s circumstances, the PAP is reining supreme, untouchable, and can afford to have a little criticisms, a bigger tolerance for dissent, and the broadcast during Cooling Day did not do any real damage, water under the bridge, really.

The follow up actions by the police and now the attention from around the world, ICJ, are definitely something that Hsien Loong and his govt need not have to face.  It is baffling to invoke such attention. The Cooling Day broadcasts were tolerable and bearable irritations and could be dealt with with a slap on the wrist. Nothing more and no storm in the tea cup.

What made Hsien Loong to allow this mess to go on the way it went? Ok, I am being presumptious here, that he knew and approved the whole process. I could be wrong and I stand corrected. Hsien Loong could be totally uninvolved and the whole incident was left to someone else to handle as that someone deemed best.

All I can say is that it is something unnecessary and there is no need to kick up a dust storm when there is no need to. Why invite the unnecessary attention that is anything but good for Singapore and the govt? This is the 21st Century, not the days of LKY and the Communist Insurgency. The political climate and players have changed, the people have changed, the risks have changed, the challenges have changed.


Would Roy Ngerng or Teo Soh Lung present such a big threat or challenge that it is necessary to send a bull into a theatre? The PAP shall rule till SG100. Relac.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am trying to understand the motivation for the govt or Hsien Loong to allow this to go on the way it did.
RB

My educated guess is that there is more to it than meets the eye for the govt or Hsien Loong to allow this to go on the way it did.

Don't be surprised if Roy and Teo Soh Lung face more or even unrelated charges on other matters, and not just the cooling day issue. Why do you think the police want to search their house, took away their computers, etc etc? Remember, police and govt agencies have intelligence network in order to do their job. They are not stupid to get all the hoo-ha for nothing, you know.

Hope you now understand the motivation for the govt or Hsien Loong to allow this to go on the way it did.

Anonymous said...

Do you think Singapore Police Force is very efficient in enforcing the law against Singaporeans?

Do you think they are even more efficient in enforcing the law against Aliens who beat up taxi drivers?

Anonymous said...

Do you understand the motivation for Chee Soon Juan to allow himself to go on the way he did, especially the part on fighting losing election battles, and refusing to resign after losing every time? Where does he get the motivation for this, and for so long some more?

Is there more to it than meets the eye for such an intriguing politician as Chee Soon Juan?

Anonymous said...

If I m no wrong, this incident is the ELD lodge a police report against the 2 bloggers who violated the Cooling-off day rule..as to who behind ELD people? Nobody knows..it's their duty to do so..the law could have been misled by others ( as wat M Ravi had indicated in 1 of his blog) to post it via Facebook instead of email or sms. The G coming down hard on these 2 widely reach local dissenters bloggers is real & hard..for it fear the losing of support & more votes in future elections.

Anonymous said...

Do you think Singapore Police Force is very efficient in enforcing the law against Singaporeans?
10:04 am

Because Singaporeans can contest elections, whereas Aliens cannot? Just a joke lah.

And jokes aside, Roy and Teo, being Singaporeans, had indeed contested elections before, tio bo? And Roy even ka ka (dare) not only contest against, but ka ka defame Lee Hsien Loong some more. Where did Roy get the guts to do this?

Anonymous said...

..for it fear the losing of support & more votes in future elections.
10:21 am

Not really lah. Because as long as the opposition is not ready to be govt and also knowing voting behaviour of majority Sinkies, PAP will always win elections.

And as to why the govt is coming down hard on these 2 bloggers, my educated guess is that these 2 bloggers got the guts to do things that cause them great trouble with PAP, but the more intriguing question is where do they get their guts from? And this is where PAP will come down hard on anyone who are the same or worse than these 2 bloggers.

Anonymous said...

In 2003, bungee jumping was believed to be able to spur risk-taking among S’poreans

http://mothership.sg/2016/06/in-2003-bungee-jumping-was-believed-to-be-able-to-spur-risk-taking-among-sporeans/
...................................

Which activity encourages Singaporeans to be more risk-taking?

Bungee jumping or blogging?

Anonymous said...

@ June 04, 2016 10:46 am

From 2003 to 2016 is 13 years.
Did it really take 13 years for the PAP government to decide to take a risk on encouraging Singaporeans to take a risk with bungee jumping?

Who is more risk-averse?
PAP government or Singaporeans?

jjgg said...

U mean our natural aristocrat need Advisors? How much do u need to be earning to advise a $3 million dollar public servant. Perhaps a $3 million dollar committee. How much do you need to be earning to pump a billion dollars into Alibaba as investment..did they know that Alibaba is subject of investigations before that? Alamak...Alibaba dropped 1% yesterday ...looks like another Long term investment coming up...hehe

Anonymous said...

6 Good Reasons NOT to Vote Opposition
-----------------------------------------

a. If we elect an Opposition government, our MRT trains break down.

b. If we elect an Opposition government, our CPF money will not be refunded in full at age 55.

c. If we elect an Opposition government, we will be invaded by foreigners who will take over our economy.

d. If we elect an Opposition government, they will gamble away our national reserves with reckless investments in shares.

e. If we elect an Opposition government, our HDB flats will belong to HDB and not Singaporeans.

f. If we elect an Opposition government, our rat and mosquito population will explode out of control.

Anonymous said...

7th reason, Silvia Lump will. become the next PM and her BF will be National Soccer coach.

Anonymous said...

RB was mixing up the late old man s business with the current one. The late old man did in simple way: using certain law and a non police department to lockup politicians. How did he get advise? It did not matter. Voters held him responsible even after his death in history.
The current cases need advises from experts? The 2 bloggers were involved with legal violations which the election departments know best. So the advise might come from legal experts of that department.
The current cases are yet to unfold. They will be unfolded in courts where written statements will be disclosed.

As a non legal, i really have zero knowledge about what can or cannot do during cooling day. I look forward to these cases, if the 2 bloggers are charged and found guilty.

My general feeling is to do away with cooling day, Then these cases will not be legal issues any more.
Whether advertising on behalf of a candidate in cooling day can influence the outcome, i think this is immaterial. It is the intention to influence that might be a reason. That goes to question on using fb. Is fb a natural tool for advertising? The moment new posts about a candidate are found in fb after a second cross into the cooling day, someone can report to the police. This kind of rule is silly to me as not many people pay attention to thousands of fb in sites. If it is done on cooling day, so what? But guess the impact is no a consideration, its a rule that is violated. Like the wheel is on a double yellow line, can summon liao, they really do it.
most motorists will not violate such traffic rule to get fine. Some who got fine before might not matter tothem and did it again.
So dont mix up without trial and with trial. They are different.

Anonymous said...

What is the law on Cooling-Off Day?

https://www.gov.sg/factually/content/what-happens-on-cooling-off-day

The day before Polling Day is known as Cooling-Off Day. There is a prohibition against election campaigning during this 24-hour period to give voters some time to reflect rationally on issues before voting.

However, there are exceptions to the prohibition of campaign activities on Cooling-Off Day:

1) Party political broadcasts on television;
2) Reports in the newspapers, on radio and television relating to election matters;
3) Approved posters and banners that were already up, and lawful Internet advertising that was already published before the eve of Polling Day;
4) Books previously scheduled for publication;
5) The transmission of personal political views by individuals to other individuals, on a non-commercial basis, using the Internet, telephone or electronic means; and

6) Such activities or circumstances as may be prescribed by the Minister.

------------------------------------

I don't understand clause (6).
Does this mean a Minister can suka suka decide which activity is lawful or unlawful on Cooling-Off Day?

Anonymous said...

More Good Reasons NOT to Vote Opposition
-----------------------------------------

g. If we elect an Opposition government, Singaporeans will become so poor they will have to work as toilet cleaners and cardboard collectors even when they are more than 65 years old.

h. If we elect an Opposition government, there will be riots in Little India.

i. If we elect an Opposition government, bus drivers will go on strike for the first time in more than 30 years.

Anonymous said...

Does this mean a Minister can suka suka decide which activity is lawful or unlawful on Cooling-Off Day?
1:59 pm

I would think so too. That's why it is so important to be a minister.

And to be minister, need to belong to a party which is strong and ready to be govt, or else majority Sinkies die die won't vote for you.

Anonymous said...

You need cooling off day because so much threatening fire and blinding smoke have been thrown at sheeple that they need a day off to watch the miserable political situations in neighbouring counties on TV and newspapers to appreciate all the smoke in Sin is so much better

Anonymous said...

The weasels are cleverer otherwise how to stay in power for so long

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
Does this mean a Minister can suka suka decide which activity is lawful or unlawful on Cooling-Off Day?
1:59 pm

The fundamental problem is that these laws, together with other undemocratic legislations, have been passed by a PAP controlled government.

The PAP controlled government think what they know is best for the country and suka suka changed and passed the law.

Suka suka decided Singapore need 6.9 million population and opened the floodgates to allow foreigners leading to all the associated problems, that I am sure they never expected.

Suka suka introduced MediLife and passed law to jail citizens who cannot pay premiums.

What kind of government ? what kind of country is this ?

LHL bo chap lah, he is too engrossed with his selfies, official holidays and coming dinner with Obama.

We the citizens of Singapore must have a direct voice on key issues. We never gave the government a blank check.

REFERENDUM IS THE WAY.

Anonymous said...

To suka suka suka you need to first create a nation of suka suka singlish idiots. Their evolved singlish is so powderafool their brain will also have to match their suka suka singlish. with suka suka Singlish from suka suka brain then you can appreciate suka suka logic.

see, how suka suka smart right

Anonymous said...

The next Prime Minister is STILL no where to be seen, is a leadership succession crisis looming ? So please tell us, the voters, this is absolutely nothing to do with poor planning .

Anonymous said...

Suka suka elect one lor

Anonymous said...

Who is advising Hsien Loong?

He does not need any advisor. He is the best there is and Singaporeans are so blessed to have him for PM.

RB, you too must consider yourself so fortunate to have such a brilliant, clean, forward thinking and best of all compassionate person for your PM.

Singaporeans are so lucky, after LKY another potential LKY.

Anonymous said...

Rb // Who is advising Hsien Loong? //


A political genius?

Over the past 5 millennium, when rulers need to divert attention from some internal issues, they almost always invariably embarked on a series of distraction or divert attention to seemingly "controversial" issues that may not have much "significance" but act liKe magnet to draw away attention?

Swee Swee "suddenly" said about nurturing "local talents" as if they just woke up or came to "their senses"?

Anonymous said...

Then follow up by sinkieland's "notorious" fame for producing "political shorties" like Marboro Tan, 黄CuntSin, $8HariKiri and now another "5寸丁" "sinkieland's dare-see-mong tootoo"?

After deploying thousands of foreigners, if not more in the auxiliary police force etc and "lording" over sinkies on kacang puteh road offences like parking and many sinkie motorists having to "kneel" down to such aliens not to summon them, suddenly ( another legendary sinkieland's political shortie ) the up and coming dare-see-mong tootoo "suddenly" said "cannot outsource critical services"?

Wah?

Like glassloot kena poohed liao then said bird talk?

So sinkies as usual all led by the nose and get distracted by such issues purposely threw out as smoke screen to divert attention?

Old man was never wrong and din labeled many oldies and sinkies wrongly as DAFT?

What is the most critical issue now pressing sinkieland hard hard?

Any oldie know?

Anonymous said...

As always super daft, kongcum and led by the nose?

Sinkieland no hope le?

Too many low wit around?

Anonymous said...

There is a Chinese saying, 起虎难下.

Do not ride on a tiger. It would be difficult to dismount and be torn to pieces eventually.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10.04am

Your Chinese "spelling" typo?

It's 骑 means ride?

Not 起?

Anonymous said...

Ya tiok. sori my mandarin not so kilat.
Thanking you for the correction.

Anonymous said...

Mind Malay oso 不能"游" 。。。。。:)

Ha ha ha

Ingrish , oops ..... singlish ok ok

Chinese "6点半"

比 JLBs 好 Sikit Sikit 。。。。。