Chee Soon Juan under house arrest? Is this a breach of human rights?

The Singapore General Elections draw ever closer and the various political parties gather in strength and to plan elaborate campaign strategies. The energy is electrifying, as even now, potential candidates from every party seem intent on making known their personalities, profiles and plans, to the public.

With each passing week, the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) brings fresh candidates to the field and as the Workers’ Party (WP) draws up a compelling party slogan and manifesto, the National Solidarity Party (NSP) seems poised to win the hearts of the people with their ongoing daily walkabouts.

Indeed, the mainstream media is a-flood with election coverage. But, where is the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and its role in all of this? Will the SDP’s most recognised member, Dr Chee Soon Juan, be able to effectively spearhead his party’s mission, to continue fighting to represent the people in Parliament? Or is it true that he is prevented from taking part in the upcoming General Election (GE) due to an apparent ‘house arrest’?

While many of Dr Chee’s exploits have been shrouded in mystery and clouded by controversy, an intriguing issue arises; one that could present a cause for concern and worry to his most ardent supporters.

Recently, on April 12, 2011, we met up with Dr Chee and confirmed that he will be not allowed to venture out of his house during the GE.

Dr Chee was declared a bankrupt – on February 10 2006 – by the Singapore High Courts for failing to pay damages amounting to $500,000 in defamation lawsuits by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and the then Senior Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. These lawsuits were in response to remarks made by Dr Chee in the 2001 GE, accusing Mr Goh and Mr Lee of misleading Parliament over an alleged loan of S$17 billion to the then Indonesian president Suharto.

Dr Chee’s status as an undischarged bankrupt has made him unable to contest the upcoming elections. The Parliamentary Elections Act, provision 83 states: ‘No person who is an undischarged bankrupt shall take part in any election activity’. And this is the reason for his apparent ‘house arrest’.

Therefore, could the simple act of chatting with local residents outside his home or office be misconstrued as ‘conducting an election activity’- a breach of the law? Would Dr Chee be unable to buy food from the local hawker center for fear of being accused of promoting his campaign? For now, the duration of this ‘house arrest’ remains unclear. However, with Dr Chee being unable to venture outdoors during the GE due to this vague political quarantine, one wonders if the SDP is going into the elections with its hands tied firmly behind its back.

Dr Chee raised a few thought provoking issues when The Online Citizen interviewed him on 12 April 2011.

He recounted that at the last elections, the authorities had warned him that he was not allowed to walk around because people will follow him and this will build up into a crowd or procession and they could not allow that to happen. On one such occasion, Dr Chee was stopped by the authorities and prevented from walking back to his car to go home. “Something must be very wrong with this society where I can’t even walk and people can’t even walk with me.” Dr Chee said. He could not understand the rationale or logic behind such a mentality. “The minute they see my car from afar, they start radioing each other,” Dr Chee continues. “The minute I step into my car, the whole team, I don’t know if it is the CID (criminal investigation department) or plain-clothes police, surround me. I cannot move. When I get up on stage an officer will warn me that I may be committing an offense”.

Dr Chee questions the logic and sense of such an order as stated in the Parliamentary Elections Act – that ‘no person who is an undischarged bankrupt shall take part in any election activity’. Dr Chee says, “It really does not make sense for me as secretary general not to be able to take part in the elections.” He says “laws should stem from common sense.”

“I think it is very unjust. I am a citizen of Singapore and I was born and grew up here. I am entitled to take part in elections.” He charges that the “government makes a mockery of the Constitution.”

“They try to justify everything. They do contortions and somersaults,” he says. Citing further incidents as examples, Dr Chee explains that “they will always twist the interpretation of the law.”

Dr Chee says this restrictive provision, which effectively constrains him to “stay-indoors”, is akin to him being prevented from traveling overseas and is in violation of personal freedoms and human rights. “In the last five years, I haven’t been able to travel out of Singapore. This is something under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that is a violation of my human rights. And that is my freedom of travel.” He points out that in view of these fundamental rights, he should also be able to participate freely in politics.

When we ask Dr Chee if the “house arrest” is going to affect his plans for the upcoming GE, he says he has to work indoors now. He points out that he is busy coordinating activities and conducting briefings for speakers. Also, he continues to organize logistical support and looks into the welfare of his party volunteers. “Even now, it’s going on at quite an intense level,” he explains. “It will intensify during the election.”

Despite being restricted by the law as far as taking part in election activities are concerned, Dr Chee is undeterred. Though one might expect him to become frustrated, he remains confident and is in high spirits. “These laws are meant to scare you more than anything else,” he says.

And although having been sued, bankrupted and jailed, along with having his name smeared in the media, Dr Chee remains unbowed.

I wonder if our human rights lawyer, M Ravi will do something about this!

What human rights laws you are talking about? The law based in the EU. Even in UK, THERE IS A DIFFERENT VERSION OF IF IT. Only in EU countries it is used & that is why even the refugees are well "protected". Singapore falls under the "Commonwealth States" & the Privy Council used to be a final place to appeal for any unjust cases. As usual the last case over turned by the Privy Council is the "grievous injustice" famous case of the respected JBJ. The current law & justice matters goes to LKY office. The canning of Foreign visitors, the passing of "death" sentences cannot be overturned, unless pardoned by the president, who is basically an highly paid puppet who reports to LKY office. Who with a right frame of mind would want to oppose LKY & company. Its takes a lot of courage & hope. Without hope there is no tomorrow. I really respect these batch of oppositions & for the first time the government is being opposed in almost all constitutions. The PAP cannot declare that they had won the elections even before it is started. They knew this day would come, I don't think they never planned for such day. For, last 2 decades, the government passed various "laws" without being opposed by anyone, not even the public. It is now resulted in the present day where there are civil servants placed equally in almost all areas. The pubic were also placed in such a way, that in an area, there is distribution of ethnic groups. So, try to do the maths, how many people are there in a constitution eligible to vote? Of this number---how many are civil servants? how many are newly granted Nationals? How many are newly eligible, young voters(just turned 18), Now the most important is how many are the real public? I used the word public because we are made of 75%- Chinese, 12%- Malay, 8%- Indians & 5%- others. This distribution is just an estimation. The point is ---this public must brush aside their differences & fight for a cause, which must be common to all. LYK & company assumed that the different ethnic groups will never be really functioning as a group with common values because of the nature of people putting self-interest first. You may ask the government now have a distribution of MPs of different ethnic groups, how? The only answer is because they are highly educated & knows their common values & principles are the same in high priority & are discipline to put self-interest in the last. Moreover, there are higher rate of inter-racial marriages even at the MPs level or within their family. They are a bunch of true integrated group to paint a “integrated image” to us. They are assuming that only they (highly educated class) can accept this integration truly & purely. The “commoners” like, you & me, would not be able to really work together brushing aside our ethnicity. The public, we have to show that we are “true” Singaporeans with a lot more open-mind. We have to really put our race, language & religion aside & ready to work together as a team. Sometimes good things do happen out of these bad measures. Today, there are more, English, speaking person in Singapore, thanks to the official working language. We shall use this “tool” to work together & restore our country to what we want it to be. The numbers are against us, the present environment is against us, Dr Chee’s basic human right is not being observed, what else do you need as a prove to see that things are not “Alright”. If you really want to do something, first help Dr Chee, as a person. Try to organise a petition against this “house arrest”. I am not trying to say vote for SDP, it is up to you, but at least as a person try to help him, to be a normal person like you & me. Why not pass a properly written petition addressed to the right authority with the CC to the entire humanitarian organisation around the world. Let this professional body to access the damage & great unjust laid upon Dr Chee. It is just an online thing perhaps they must go to a certain page fill in the form to reveal just the first & second name. No NIRC numbers are required, perhaps at your own discretion. Your voices & mine, together will perhaps help Dr Chee.


I can state quite certainly that the present "white horses" are all well stocked out side the country, as long as they have authority(power), they will stay in our country. As soon as the power is transferred by us, they will be out of our country fearing the same laws, which they had passed would be used against them. Why? Because all these "white horses" are tainted with the blood of our lost heroes.

I don't have a proof, but I cannot believe that they are all upright, looking at the MPs in England, where the freedom to the right of speech & media is truly being observed. I am so hapless to see Dr Chee Soon Juan, being treated under like Anti-Social Behaviour Order. Character Assassination is the first attack to doubt the credibility of a person, a common tool used by PAP & its "bollocks" media players. This is how great thinkers are undermined. Dr Chee Soon Juan, has the stamina & resilience to last this far. Please give this people a chance. Try to under-stand what they can bring to the table & expose further shocking "news" . As a matter of fact, some "news" could so bad that it will never be out to the media, because to do that is like shooting our own foot. What had been happening up there for the last 20 odd years is a "dark" mystery . First, if we ask all our present MPs to declare they wealth including out of the country. Will they be honest? Like I tell you, all of them have an "exit" plan because that is how it works.

Please my fellow people, put our differences aside & try to make an honest & rightful decision. There will be some bad points or characteristics with an individual opposition candidate, nobody is perfect. We were brought that way anyway, to mock at other people's bad characteristics. There is no compassion in our society anymore. When I was young, a Chinese shopkeeper used to give me sweets. She did not look at my skin colour, she only look at kid with bright eyes with lot of life ahead of him. This is not happening in our busy life anymore, we don't have time to even cajole our stubborn kids.

Every single individual in the opposition is a hero, in my dictionary.
They are there to make a CHANGE. The question is are you, the public, is ready for it. What are you afraid off? Afraid that your "HDB" house will undervalued? Afraid that your CPF will be gone over night? Or your life might be turned overnight? As far as I think, this will not be affected should you elect an opposition party member into the parliament. They are there to represent you & try to protect the welfare of yours & theirs too. The situation over there is very bad right now. Should anybody in your family have a serious medical issue, you loose your medisave & your house. You have to use all your resources to try to save that person. The present government will only involve when you are reduced to a 2 bedroom house & some organisation handle your matter on a case by case basis. Off course there is a standard "Medi-Shield" for everyone(generally, but you would be surprised by the number of people who don't even have this basic cover) Anyway, all insurance will not act the way they are suppose to act in accordance to the medical "blueprint", instead they act in accordance to the "fineprints" , if you are lucky you get some money. With the rising cost of medical care, these money will not be sufficient, even with a surplus of another private insurance, it is not enough in the present medical world in Singapore. Ask the present PM, how much he spent on his medical treatment & you know what I am trying to say.

Mr Kenneth Jayaratam's universal "private medical insurance" care seems to open the eyes on mine. He is trying to do what the US did, trying to solve their "medical care system". The "medical care system" is a complex problem in most developed countries. So we must try to look around & learn. Our population is quite small, we can or be able to solve this basic & necessary matter.

We must behave in a democratic way & have compassion to others especially to our neighbours. Don't just sit around in your house only, try not to be invisible in your own neighbourhood. Try to get to know the people around you & make friends & be a host at times to break the "barrier".

Your vote is not only to help you, it is to help others around you. Last year, I went to my neighbourhood, I was sad, though it was upgrade & the facelift was spectacular. My neighbourhood is riddled with Senior Citizens who cannot even afford their breakfast & kopi-see. Can you believe that they are accustomed to the generosity of some good souls. How can we let this matter to rest? Don't we owe them for what is the current Singapore. Their direct or indirect contributions towards our nation-building cannot be brushed aside. They are the children of Singapore, is this how the mother should treat? If everyone really do have a sense of pride & belonging to this mother, then please, don't just sit there, ask the current politicians, inclusive of the oppositions, what they are planning to do with this hapless "nation-builders". By now, you have an answer, looking at the "manifesto" of the opposition. Ask questions, please try to vote & help "this people".