Singabloodypore

You wouldn't know 'substance' if it bit you on the ass..

As there is 'substance' in the IBA report it confirms something. Something that must not be looked at. Something that is to be denied at all costs. Something that you maintain. Something that is unpalatable to many in the rank and file of the Ministry of Law. The truth...

They had the oppurtunity to see and assess for themselves the state of the rule of law in Singapore and whether it is fair for the draft report to portray Singapore as an oppressive state where there is little regard for human rights and the rule of law. Singapore Ministry of Law [pdf]

THEY CAME THEY SAW.

SINGAPORE (AFP) — Allegations that Singapore fails to meet international standards for political and human rights are without substance, the city-state's law ministry said Thursday.

It was reacting to a report by the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute [pdf], which said it had identified a number of areas in which Singapore fell far short of international norms.

"The human rights allegations in the report... have no substance," the Singapore ministry said in a statement.

[A few weeks ago the argument in court was slightly different ... “Your honour, the International Bar Association decided to honour Singapore and hold its annual conference in this city and you [Dr Chee] were given an opportunity to present your case, with your complaint that Singapore lack the rule of law. There were some 3000 lawyers there.

I think they left Singapore with a very different impression from what you have projected because we have a letter from the President of the International Bar Association to the organisers, namely the Law Society of Singapore, how successful the meeting was and how impressed they were by the standards they found to obtain in the judiciary - "…” Minister Mentor.]

It accused the rights institute of closing ranks "with other Western human rights NGOs to prescribe for Singapore and all new countries, especially China, Western norms of liberal democracy as the only way to bring stability and prosperity."

[It (IBA) has a membership of 30,000 individual lawyers and more than 195 bar associations and law societies spanning all continents. It has considerable expertise in providing assistance to the global legal community. IBA]

The law ministry referred to a 15-page brief it submitted to the bar association [pdf] but which it said had not been taken into account.

"In Singapore, our growth and prosperity over the years have, through judicious planning, careful management and sound investments, translated into progress in Singaporeans' well-being in terms of life expectancy, adult literacy rate, prevalence of criminality, and access to clean water, sanitation, and health services," the Singapore brief said.

The bar association, calling human rights universal and indivisible, issued its 72-page report on Tuesday, several months after the IBA held its annual convention in Singapore. The association represents 30,000 lawyers globally.