Chee Soon Juan call on America to stop business with Singapore

Chee Soon Juan to go on U.S. talk shows asking Obama to address human rights abuse in Singapore

A week after MM Lee Kuan Yew was interviewed on the U.S. Talk Show – the Charlie Rose Show and was given a rare meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House, Singapore opposition leader Dr Chee Soon Juan will go on a series of radio shows in America.

The interviews come on the eve of President Barack Obama’s visit to Singapore for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting from 12-14 Nov 09.

Among the interviews will be one with Mr Ron Reagan on Air America and veteran talk show host Lionel Lipshitz on The Lionel Show.

In an earlier interview with Talk Radio News Service Bureau Chief Ellen Ratner, Dr Chee spoke about the repressive laws put in place by the Singapore government to curtail the political rights of citizens such as the recent public order law passed which ban even peaceful solo protest.

He also urged Mr Obama to take note of the human rights abuses in Singapore and call on America’s political and business leaders to stop collaboration with the Singapore government unless it improves on its human rights record.

Last week, Singapore Law Minister Shanmugan spent 3 days trying to convince a skeptical American audience from the New York State Bar Association that Singapore is a country of law and that its situation is “unique”.

Dr Chee’s personal testimony of the human rights abuses and political persecution he had suffered at the hands of the ruling party is likely to win him much sympathy from the American public and further damage the reputation of the Singapore government.

Though the ruling party is able to maintain a tight grip over the local media, it has little or no influence over the American press.

While President Obama is unlikely to heed Dr Chee’s call to exert pressure on the Singapore government to liberalize the political landscape, the negative publicity generated worldwide will nevertheless make the regime feel uncomfortable.

Being a globalized city heavily dependent on trade, Singapore cannot afford to allow its international branding to be tarnished by charges of political repression.

In stark contrast, Hong Kong, despite having only limited self-rule under Communist China, seldom encounter such negative publicity about its political system.

Even China is becoming more conscious of its international image. Chinese President Hu Jintao recently gave a pledge to the western media that they would be allowed to report freely on events in China.

In an increasingly inter-connected world where barriers between states are breaking down fast by the internet, the Singapore government is finding it harder to keep the facade of itself being a “democracy” for long.

U.S. NGO Freedom House wrote in its 2009 report that Singapore is not an “electoral democracy which would have a detrimental impact on the impression the Americans have on Singapore.

While Dr Chee was never a MP, his influence on Singapore politics will extend far beyond Singapore’s shores.

The Singapore government should realize that its tried and tested methods of stifling political dissent through repressive measures will eventually backfire on them and damage their own credibility which no amount of PR exercise will reverse.

From now onwards, it has to be especially vigilant to its actions which may give others free ammunitions to shoot at it.

Singapore “exceptionalism” is no excuse for its oppression. The Singapore government may be able to deceive its own people, but not freedom-loving souls from the rest of the free world.

http://www.temasekreview.com/2009/1...a-to-address-human-rights-abuse-in-singapore/

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tonychat said:

Dun worry, your fears are totally unfounded.

He is a genius and not like those PAP fools who tells sinkies that they are rich because rising debt has slowed down.

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RonRon said:

I thought SDP claimed that they are concern abt the bread and butter issue for poor singaporean??? Why SDP want US to sanction and demage our economy? This is really terrible..

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Devil Within said:

So, in order to "punish" the PAP, he is suggesting to US to "punish" the common people in Singapore as well? CSJ's credibility is going down the drain deeper and deeper. It is bad enough for PAP to mix business with politics, now CSJ want to follow PAP's footsteps?

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Internet Brigade said:

"Dr Chee’s personal testimony of the human rights abuses and political persecution he had suffered "

hahahahahahahahha

Does Chee wish to compare his suffering:

to those in BURMA?

to those in CHINA?

to those at the hands of the US?

Even maids suffer more than HIM

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Internet Brigade said:

Genius you say.

Is DOCTOR chee aware that singapore is an export-driven economy with Singapore as its biggest trade partner?

Is DOCTOR chee aware that the US will do business with anyone (iraq, iran, n korea, sudan, burma...) as long as their is something to be earned?

Is DOCTOR chee aware that his same argument can be used to say the US shouldnt trade with CHINA?

What rubbish is he talking about. And he says he cares for the ordinary Singaporeans.

Hellooo.... has DOCTOR chee heard of the trickle down effect? Not everything must go straight into peoples pockets you know.

Our consolation is that nobody takes him seriously and only pay him lipservice because its fun to see a little doggies get so excited when you show him a snack.

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Internet Brigade said:

And to put things in better perspective...


DAW Aung San Suu Kyi's party (NLD) won 82% of parliamentary seats in 1990. She has been in detention and house arrest ever since.

DOCTOR Chee Soon Juan's party (SDP) contested 7 seats in GE2006 and got only 4% of the votes!! And has gone to jail for 2 weeks at a time for a few times only

ooohhh the humanity....

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Internet Brigade said:

And to put things in better perspective...

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MarrickG said:

If the US agrees with Chee, what will happen to us?

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cleareyes said:

I dont know who or what or whatever wrote that article but the person must be n drugs.

To get US to punsih Singapore over PAP? Over what? Human rights abuse? Does the US have the time to handle any form of human rights issue when their own economy and social system need a revamp?

Before PAP suffers, common Singaporeans will suffer worse. Chee want to whack PAP but he end up whack the whole of Singapore. Its small wonder SDP is not gaining grounds in terms of support. Their walkaboit in Bukit Panjang was a disaster and at Chong pang, they were heavily ignored. Have they ever asked themselves, some of self-evaluation, what they are doing and what result have they got?

Do they really care for Singapore????

Unfortunatly for the rest of the oppositions, the mass media has the habit of lumping SDP with the rest and end up the rest of the opposition had to suffer because of how stupid and how ignorant of antics they have performed.

I do hope SDP wake up their bloody idea or else, we will still find it hard to have more oppositions to be voted in as proper MPs.

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