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02/06/2008
What is the Regime Thinking?
Listen to this article
The simple and scary answer is that it is not. The regime has ceased to think when faced with real or imagined challenges to its authority. It used to imprison its critics under the ISA. Now it resorts to lawsuits and obscure laws. Gopalan Nair was sitting in his hotel room, his only crime was his childish taunts of the regime's yes-men and yes-women. Harmless fun and not unexpected behaviour from political critics in any vibrant democracy. Except in Singapore, since Singapore more and more cannot be called a democracy anyway.
With a preposterous stretch of imagination can then one truly believe Judge Belinda Ang's life and limb was threatened by Gopalan Nair, a vociferous self-proclaimed dissident, a lawyer who in his self-interest would not possibly travel halfway across the world just to threaten someone. Taunt maybe, but not threaten. One conspiracy theory the regime acted in this way is that perhaps it needed a distraction from the ongoing court case between the Chees and Lees. But that doesn't make sense either as the regime only surely succeeds to attract continued criticism, international and local. The US Embassy is compelled to be involved now since Gopalan is a US citizen and his arrest was already followed by a visit in jail by US Consul Ms Julie Kavanagh as a matter of procedure.
The most likely bizarre explanation is that the regime deliberately set off this chain of events and hopes to control it to its political advantage. They would expect the US Embassy to be involved and then wild accusations that Gopalan Nair was instigated by the US Government to be a vocal critic of the regime, similar to the unsubstantiated allegations that Francis Seow was a US stooge back in 1988.
When a regime is unsure of its political footing, conjuring up a foreign bogeyman is the oldest trick in the book. Whipping up "foreign interference" is the regime's tiresome line of defence from now on in this arrest, eventual court trial and token fine. A jail term for Gopalan Nair would be just too much. Or maybe not, for this intolerant regime.
11:20 Posted by Eng Chuan Lee | Permalink | Comments (5) | Trackbacks (0) | Email this
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while there is constant watchfulness concerning foreign interference (e.g., almost 20 years ago a US embassy official was expelled for being involved in local politics), it is equally important as a political tactic: opposition parties have limited access to local money and press coverage, but need to be very careful in obtaining foreign support for fear of breaking rules on foreign involvement in local politics
casting aspersion on judiciary independence has led to prosecution for contemp of court for some period; chris lingle, for example was fined (I forgot how much, 5k?) for writing "intolerant regimes using compliant courts" to give opposition parties a hard time; this has established an OB marker, and anyone crosses it at their own peril; was gopalan nair hoping that the OB marker has been shifted in a more lenient direction? I guess the outcome shows it has not been
Posted by: yuen | 02/06/2008
I believe Nair's taunt was a challenge in response to MM Lee's comment that he will sue anyone blogger who dares indentify himself. Instead he is being arrested for insulting or threatening as the MSM reports it, a civil servant. Any way I am sure our MM will sue him and protect his honour and word. Nair deserves it for playing with fire.
Posted by: Truth | 03/06/2008
I salute Nair's courage.
Even if Prosecution fails to bring any successful charge, the episode will already have created the desired effects, FEAR. It is a powerful tool.
Fighting needs talent and money. We can only wish for our Singaporean billionaires with genuine concern for our future to step up and fight the cause!
Posted by: KL | 04/06/2008
Foreigners think they can come here, try to rock the boat, mess up the place and return to watch the place burn they are damn right fools.
Posted by: Joseph | 08/06/2008
"Regime"????????
The incumbent (PAP Government) has been winning every free election since Separation with NEP-based Malaysia. Last GE, it garnered 67% of POPULAR votes (Bush (Republican) vs Gore (Democrats) - 50.1% victory). Pl don't underestimate the intelligence of Singaporeans. We are not Kenyans or some 3rd world countries where we kill & burn the goose that lays the golden egg.
The remaining 33% was shared out amongst the Opposition and Spoilt & Blank votes.
In fact, the hungry world longs for such a government deep down in its heart. Those who travel widely can confirm this hope.
Are you OK???????
NB - An do get your head (inside) examined over the use of "regime".
Posted by: willaim soon | 08/06/2008