Singapore Democrats

Public more aware

Members of the SDP,

Greetings for 2010. It has been enjoyable and encouraging reading the articles posted in SDP and TOC.

Through phones and emails with S'porean friends, I believe the general public are being more aware of alternative voice and opinions.  Slowly but surely, all of them are 'waking up to the new possibilities of being significant enough to be heard".

Your leadership in SDP is making a big difference in political arena of Singapore.

Jonathan

Capitalists and State in cahoots

Dear SDP,

I am a student currently in NUS, and I am writing just to express my concerns and interests in the entire political scene in Singapore.

I am a Sociology major currently and I am looking at the entire Neo-Marxist concept of the society. Capitalists and the state in cahoots to oppress the working class. I think it is a rather sad case but it is happening here.

I remember what Marx said. The workers must unite and overthrow the system. Now I am not supporting Communism but the people, the population must feel oppressed in the first place.

So from the trends of Singapore, I noticed kids go to tuition more than playing out on the streets today and people are getting more stressed, we are definitely moving towards oppression.

The so-called middle class is actually the working class. They will come to the senses one day. Take heed and encouragement. The light will shine soon.

I appreciate the fight you put up. I don't buy Monarchy.

Teddy

Not Convinced

Dear Sir,

I have just been to your website and I must say that I am not convinced that a change from PAP methods and rule will be any better from our current situation.

Look at other "democratic" countries around us, I don’t see them faring better than us in terms of economy, security, stability and peace. These are the brick and mortar to my basic family life.

I think we have enough freedom of speech so long as we speak with responsibility, that is one of the basics of Asian values. I am not politically inclined, but I am happy and proud to be Singaporean and the progress we have made since independence, with all the limitations.

Kelly

The Nation Cheated

Dear Dr Chee

I am a non-Malay non-Muslim Malaysian who recently read your book "A Nation Cheated".

I must confess that it was an eye-opener taking into account all the "wonder about Singapore" I had been spoon-fed as a child as my father is a huge Lee Kuan Yew fan.

Being Malaysian, with its many pitfalls both inside and outside government, and amongst the different races and religions, your book has provided some perspective. First, about what we have; second, about our weaknesses; and third, about the dedication, courage and humility it must take for you personally, and the SDP team collectively, to continue to fight the battles that you must.

I can only hope that there are enough of us in Malaysia, regardless of race or religion, who like you, believe in our nation and our people strongly enough to stand up for what is right.

My heart and my hopes go out to you and to all Singaporeans.

Santhi

SDP's noble cause

Today's article on "Canadian with links to Chee attacks Singapore political system" actually led me to the highly sought after website of SDP. After reading the many articles in this website, I noticed that most of those critical articles apparently have never appeared in the Straits Times.

At least now we know the noble cause SDP is fighting on behalf of fellow Singaporeans. Most people who have been persecuted repeatedly would have left Singapore. Look at the case of Francis Seow, he was esteemed and held in high regards, but later he was purported to have committed mutliple charges once he was out of favour.

In fact, Today should have more articles on SDP in order to let Singaporeans know its noble cause, all for the good of Singapore at large. Without criticisms, we would have a Singapore of yes-people who would not be able to think but mere followers, almost robotic. Perhaps that is what the government wants?

Tan

LKY needs to be bad in order to be good?

Hi, Dr Chee,

I have watched your videos and ponder on them for some time. On the part of Lee Kuan Yew suppressed all his political opponents, I wonder whether this is really bad. The answer could be:

1. He was bad
2. He needs to be bad in order to be good
3. He was good

I was watching drama series "Empress Wu Tze Tian" of ancient China. She was the first Chinese to advocate for women's rights, something unthinkable to everyone when all laws were oppressive on women and even women did not believe their own capabilities and rights.

As situations were such back then, any soft approach was just futile. Ultimately, she beheaded all those who was against her advocacy and used cunning methods to make herself an empress. Now, we are thankful that as a result of her advocacy, women have equal rights.

So, I am coming back to my earlier point, that is, could it be possibly that Lee Kuan Yew needs to be bad in order to be good?

I have dealt with alot of people, and I can tell you that the vast majority of the people are generally deluded. However, telling the truth to deluded people are often destructive. Bringing up Lee Kuan Yew's past may be a thing to do, but how important is the past to us now? What is really important to us is now and the future.

Almost everyone is having a reasonble good life now. We should not destroy our lives on political matters, especially for the young ones. We should advocate for our rights moderately, so that we can maintain our good lives.

I known alot of old folks who are doing odd jobs like cleaning toilets, collecting rubbish, etc, they are really richer than you think. Many of them are even millionaires, as they have assets worth over a million. They are often very stubborn, as they refuse to sell their properties.

Kam

No lifts for my HDB block

Mr Chee,

HDB had sent a letter to us on why it will not build lifts to serve every floor in my block. My questions are:

1. The working committee members were not appointed by the residents, so how can they make decisions on our behalf in rejecting the lift proposal and want to build the bridge instead?

2. If HDB will not build the lifts while we are still working and can afford to pay, come next few years, many of the residents will retire with no real income. So, how can we afford to pay then? How are those handicapped residents able to go for their medical treatments?

3. If I were to down grade to a new 3-room flat, I have to pay $40,000 levy to the HDB! With no lifts at our floor, how will our present flat fetch a good re-sale price to pay for HDB's levy plus a new flat, etc.

4. Since we have no lifts, we should pay less monthly maintenance and conservancy fees.

Fong

Your website and what was offered really woke me up to how authoritarian our current PAP government is. For that I really thank you.

The grief suffered at the hands of the PAP by Dr Chee is really saddening to hear, and I do not dispute that even our own Government does violate our Constitution. You are correct that you really did not deserve such harsh treatment.

No offence intended, but I do wish to point out that "poking a sleeping tiger results in disastrous consequences". Can you not see that your political protests only serve to "poke the sleeping tiger"?

That said, I would like to hear SDP's views on the following thoughts:

In comparison to other countries, Singapore is politically stable, rich, prosperous, very low crime rates, food for everyone, socially stable and intefrated, education for everyone. Such blessings were and are still only possible through a rigid authoritarian form of government .

As an educated person, would you not agree that Singapore is only what it is today because MM Lee ruled Singapore and still does rule singapore with an iron Fist? I dont know about you, but I am more than happy to give up my political right to peaceful protests because the PAP has given me:

- affordable stable clean housing
- a good education system
- low crime rate
- a generally well integrated multi-racial society

You speak of "oppression", as if we are living in North Korea under Mr Kim Jong Il. You speak of no freedom for Singaporeans, yet let me ask you this: Is freedom being able to meet in Orchard Rd for a drink at 3 am outside orchard towers and not get robbed? Is freedom being able to know that my son/daughter will be safe coming home at night?

Yet the western world, with all the political freedom you want, cannot even provide me with the freedom Singapore has offered me. So I can hold a peaceful protest in England or USA, but I can't leave my house at certain times because I dont want to get mugged. Would you call that freedom?

Singapore is the wonderful place it is, because we have sacrificed one set of freedom for another. And I like it that way. I also think most Singaporeans do, too. I am writing to you because the basis of your rattling and herranging the local police is based on the fact that you think we have no freedom and we are oppressed.

I seriously fail to see why the SDP is making such a big fuss over loss of political freedom, when what we have right here right now is just so damn good compared to elsewhere.

If political freedom is really that important to you, perhaps you should migrate. Singapore was never built with freedom of speech in mind.

Christopher

Dear Christopher,

It is just as safe to go out at night in many cities, many of which are democratic. In fact in terms of liveable cities, Singapore ranks only 53rd compared to places like Vancouver and Melbourne which are consistently rated as the best cities to live in. Yet, these places are functional democracies.

Freedom is not just about going out at night and feeling safe. Freedom allows the people to speak up (and not just on the Internet) without which we will have a situation where only the government's praises are read and seen, and important issues are not debated.

Ironically, it is such a politically stifling climate has contributed to the serious emigration of Singaporeans to other countries. This has grave social and economic repercussions for our country that we are only beginning to witness.

Frogs living in wells always think that the little dark hole that they live in are the best homes in the world. Unfortunately, it is this mentality that will ensure the demise of society.

Changi prison not meeting UN's minimum standard for prisoners

Dear Sir,

I write to you of the concerns that conditions at Singapore’s Changi prison do not meet the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners set by the UN in 1955.

Changi prison is where the majority of offenders in Singapore are held. I have 2 friends who are behind bars and I am very concerned about the unnecessarily harsh environment they are in.

Please refer to the following points under the "Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners" adopted by the United Nations (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/treatmentprisoners.htm)

19. Every prisoner shall, in accordance with local or national standards, be provided with a separate bed, and with separate and sufficient bedding which shall be clean when issued, kept in good order and changed often enough to ensure its cleanliness.

In Changi prison, the offenders are only given a very thin straw mat to sleep on. Why not give them beds? Sleeping on such thin straw mats are akin to sleeping on the hard concrete floor. On the long run, this can cause back problems.

If beds are not practical due to space constraints, thick mattresses can be used.

21. (1) Every prisoner who is not employed in outdoor work shall have at least one hour of suitable exercise in the open air daily if the weather permits.

In Changi prison, there are no outdoor yards for offenders to exercise in. They do not have the chance to receive direct sunlight or come in contact with any greenery.

Offenders are kept indoors, enclosed in a multi story building till the day they are released. They cannot get direct sunlight in open air. They only get to exercise in an indoor yard that is enclosed.

Living in an artificial, enclosed, multi story block for years on end without having the chance to exercise outdoors is very bad for offender’s mental health.

In Australia, offenders held in highly artificial environment of maximum security institutions have gone crazy (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/22/2692740.htm ).

In Singapore, when offenders do go crazy, they are transferred to the IMH. Sadly, in IMH, they would also be kept in an enclosed, multi story block with no opportunity to exercise in an open air area. (I know this from a relative who was warded in IMH). Only on very rare occasions, will IMH patients be allowed to go downstairs with the supervision of a nurse. These are mostly very long term patients.

Isn’t this very troubling?

Offenders in prison and every single IMH patient should be given daily access to an open air field for exercise, fresh air and direct sunlight.

(40). Every institution shall have a library for the use of all categories of prisoners, adequately stocked with both recreational and instructional books, and prisoners shall be encouraged to make full use of it.

I am not to certain if Changi prison has a library but from what my friend told me, there is none. He might be wrong though.

If there isn’t a prison library, Changi prison should set one up. If there is, then it should be expanded and all offenders should be given access to it.

Besides the above points with regards to UN standards, there are some other points I hope to bring to your attention.

In Changi prison, many offenders are held in a small cell 23 out of 24 hours a day. They spend their time staring at walls and staring at each other for these 23 hours.

Their heads are shaven and they have to greet prison officers “Good morning Sirs/Madams”. They are stripped searched daily. Even when they play games, they are not allowed to choose their team mates.

It seems that only a privileged minority get to work or study. Perhaps, studies and work can be extended to every offender who wishes to better himself and come out a better person. A bigger prison school can be set up. Inmates can be given the chance to do distance learning degrees and post grads should they be willing to. They should fork out the money themselves.

The present prison environment is unnecessarily harsh on the mental well being of offenders. The punishment of the court is loss of liberty, not loss of sanity! Offenders have families to look after. They have to reintegrate back to society after their sentences too. In my opinion, it is in society’s interest that we give all offenders who want to study / work / better themselves a chance to do so in prison. So they come out rehabilitated and not come out worst than when they went in, with loads of mental illnesses, issues and trauma.

The USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand all provide TV and radio for offenders. Offenders there also get to exercise in a big grass field. They do so not because they want to pamper their offenders. They do so to keep their offenders sane. In today’s world, especially given that Singapore is a high tech city, TV and radio are part of everyday living. They can help relieve a lot of the stress of incaseration.

The stress of long tern incaseration in a cell is overwhelming for anyone. Even in the USA, where offenders are better conditions compared to Singapore, 24% of offenders behind bars have fallen prey to severe mental illnesses. ((http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/41/20/1) those are severe mental illnesses. If one were to consider milder but equally dehabilitating mental illnesses, like anxiety attacks, depression etc, I suspect the rate will be very high. This phenomenon is not limited to the USA. It can also be seen in the UK, Canada, and many more countries, countries which have a much less harsher prison conditions compared to Singapore.

"I suspect if most of us spent much time in these places, we would all develop mental health problems,' Tom Hamilton, Ph.D., NAMI's liaison to APA's Committee on Jails and Prisons, said ((http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/41/20/1)

And proper humane treatment of offenders are not limited to English speaking countries. Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland and even Hong Kong provide their offenders with basic amenities like TV and radio. Some like Norway even provide them with computers for learning as they gain privileges for being well behaved.

These countries also have different institutions for different offenders. Non violent first time offenders are often held in minimum security institutions where they can even be allowed out of the prison to work. Sadly in Singapore’s Changi prison, there is no such thing.

At the lowest level, the way we treat our prisoners should meet minimum international standards.

Given our first world status, it is desirable that we bring our treatment of offenders in line with those of first world countries all over the world.

Lewis

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