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Chitchat US TVs shows influence Singapore Political Commentary

scroobal

Alfrescian
Loyal
I notice that Singaporeans having grown up on popular US police tv shows have a better appreciation and understanding of US law enforcement and prosecution than they do their own or even that of the Commonwealth countries. I am not sure if we should have Ministry of Education introduce some kind of sub-modules in schools to educate our young on what are norms, practices and laws in general in Singapore are.

The report lodged and the subsequent on going investigation against Teo Soh Lung and Roy Ngerng has again showed the influence of US TV shows.

I did not know whether to cry or laugh when Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss who posted the video of Police Officers in Teo Soh Lung's house in her Facebook, pointed out that 2 of the 7 officers were not wearing police lanyards. She is a lawyer and an Officer of the Supreme Court and of all the people she should know this. There is no requirement to wear your lanyard. Its just a convenient holder. It also need not be a lanyard issued by the Police. Lanyard are popular amongst officer workers to flash against door entry card readers. Why is she so blur. A Police Officer to identify him or herself will show the warrant card but there is no requirement to have it openly displayed.

Here are the popular myths that are not true. Those with Police background please correct me if its wrong. It gets truly embarrassing when every article in TOC, in Facebook and blogs gets the basics wrong. Especially when it comes from someone legally trained. Truly embarrassing when you want to fight for freedom and human rights with little understanding of what is going on.

1. There is no shield, badge or any metal star on a warrant cards of most Commonwealth Countries including Singapore. So please don't ask a Police Office how come his warrant card does not have a shied. Once you ask the question, he knows you have no idea what is going and if he is rogue officer, he will take advantage of the situation.

2. Nearly all the offences covered by our laws do not need a Police Officer to apply for a warrant to enter and search. In some cases it is specified by rank and an officer holding that rank will be part of the raiding party. The moment you ask to see a search warrant quickly look at the faces of the raiding party. At least one of them will likely be smiling or sniggering.

3. Many of the offences allow Officers to arrest a person suspected of an offence. There is no such thing as producing paper document authorising an arrest when you are being arrested. So don't ask to see a warrant for arrest There are some exception though.

4. When you are arrested please do not ask for your one phone call entitlement. Thats only in America.

5. Please do ask to see your lawyer but the Officer has every right not to allow you access to a lawyer until the investigation is completed or you are charged in court or allowed on bail. And these can go on for days. The Police will have to apply to remand you for further investigation after the initial arrest and detention period.

6. The Police can seize anything and everything to aid in their investigation including your rice cooker and washing machine if there is a genuine reason to do so. The reason that laptops and phones have to be seized is to see if there are communications to plan and indeed a clear intent to canvass the public thru social media. The reason they ask question like the numbers of "likes" is to see how popular you are and therefore if you are indeed in a position to influence a large segment of the population. Both Teo and Roy are public figures and their allegiance to the opposition is known by the general public. Tan Ah Beng with 3 likes for his post on cooling day will not influence anyone. However if the shorty arse blogger Wendy does a post on cooling day supporting the PAP, she would likely be reported for Police to investigate. The Police have to prove that the majority of her fans are not school girls but are adults who can vote or along similar lines.

7. A Police Officer will be charged in court if an arrested accused person escapes. So putting on the handcuffs is procedural except for minors, medical cases or incapable of escape.

8. There is no such thing as Miranda rights when you are arrested. Some of you probably can cite from memory the reading of the rights from watching too much TV but in Singapore case there is no such thing. So don't ask the officer to read you your rights.

9. And there is no right to remain silent as in America. Please do not mention the "5th amendment". You will have the whole Police Station in stitches or rolling on the floor with laughter.

10. Just in case this comes up from one of the TOC writers there is also no need to wear jackets emblazoned with the word Police, CNB, Customs etc on the back with gold letters. That again is for America.
 

The_Hypocrite

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Tat juz means singkieland is under martial law...means cops can do whatever they want...might as well get rid of lawyers n judges..just arrest n charge n throw into jail
 

scroobal

Alfrescian
Loyal
Not exactly. Australia has similar rules and laws. They too do not have the right to remain silent for instance. It just that we Singaporeans have little awareness of the laws and think the US laws applies to us. I have no doubt that Singapore's laws are more draconian and can lead to abuse as in the case of Old Man using the tax laws and IRAS to go after Francis Seow and Tang Liang Hong

But throwing out myths and lies is going to marginalise Singaporeans from the cause. For instance you never see Alex Au throwing out such rubbish like Kirsten Han. And people have so much of respect for Alex. The pattern from Kirsten Han shows she is playing to western gallery intentionally and these days it is paying off handsomely as she has the liberal press like the Guardian now paying her for her articles. She is now addicted to this journalism as the money is too good. She also have nothing to worry as her partner is an Ang Mo and she can start a new life in a 1st World country.

Look at what Workers Party put out in their press release on this matter. Very professional and they asked a question that the authorities have yet to answer. Why were not PAP identities such as Vivian and Tin be treated in the same manner. Why the different approach. You want to take on the PAP, you have to be more honest than those bastards.


Tat juz means singkieland is under martial law...means cops can do whatever they want...might as well get rid of lawyers n judges..just arrest n charge n throw into jail
 

GoldenDragon

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Good thread. Made me think back what I had to go thru in the past.

In all my years with the spf, I never had to use my warrant card or whatever to ID myself. I only recall one incident whereby my presence was challenged by a man in his 20s.

Raided a place for ah Long Offences and while searching for exhibits, accused person's daughter and her boyfriend came home. Daughter was ok but her b/f kpkb and demanded to see my warrant.

I pulled the accused into his bedroom and gently told him to tell the young man not to act smart. Search continued w/o interruption thereafter.

As I was leaving with the accused person, I told him to get the young man over as I wanted to enlighten him.

Gave him a good lecture. In Maya's jargon, '13f' him and his g/f's father made him apologise to me. Told the young man he was free to lodge a complaint against me. Also, encouraged him to join the spf or become a lawyer if he wanted to learn more on police powers.
 
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