I was a fly on the wall, and I overheard this conversation with a dissenter.
The conversation takes place in a Starbucks cafe at Holland Village on a quiet weekday. I am at level 2 sipping my Chai tea latte. A well dressed man in shirt and tie sits two tables away from me. A dissenter sits opposite the gentleman. There are few patrons at that particular hour, so their strident voices carries their conversation loud and clear to my curious ears.
Gentleman: I would advise you to stop what you are doing. You won't get anywhere with this and the government will hurt you badly.
Dissenter: I have nothing to fear. What I have written are the facts. I have argued my case well. I have my supporters.
Gentleman: You don't get it, do you? You have attacked the government and defamed the Prime Minister. You have been sent a lawyer letter. You are in very deep trouble.
Dissenter: Why should I give up just because they are coming after me? Singaporeans need to know the truth. I have all the information. This is not something I fabricated. I took my data mostly from the government's own websites.
Gentleman: Quite beside the point. You have committed libel and unless you apologize, the consequences will be disastrous for you. You will be financially ruined. The press will demonize you and the public will see you as someone with no credibility.
Dissenter: I am prepared for the consequences. I am doing this for my fellow Singaporeans.
Gentleman: Don't be an idiot. You can't go against the Prime Minister. You can't go against the judiciary. You think you have a chance in this case? You don't. You are doomed at the start.
Dissenter: I am not afraid of the prime minister, and I am not afraid of the judiciary.
Gentleman: Then you are a fool - on both counts.
The conversation takes place in a Starbucks cafe at Holland Village on a quiet weekday. I am at level 2 sipping my Chai tea latte. A well dressed man in shirt and tie sits two tables away from me. A dissenter sits opposite the gentleman. There are few patrons at that particular hour, so their strident voices carries their conversation loud and clear to my curious ears.
Gentleman: I would advise you to stop what you are doing. You won't get anywhere with this and the government will hurt you badly.
Dissenter: I have nothing to fear. What I have written are the facts. I have argued my case well. I have my supporters.
Gentleman: You don't get it, do you? You have attacked the government and defamed the Prime Minister. You have been sent a lawyer letter. You are in very deep trouble.
Dissenter: Why should I give up just because they are coming after me? Singaporeans need to know the truth. I have all the information. This is not something I fabricated. I took my data mostly from the government's own websites.
Gentleman: Quite beside the point. You have committed libel and unless you apologize, the consequences will be disastrous for you. You will be financially ruined. The press will demonize you and the public will see you as someone with no credibility.
Dissenter: I am prepared for the consequences. I am doing this for my fellow Singaporeans.
Gentleman: Don't be an idiot. You can't go against the Prime Minister. You can't go against the judiciary. You think you have a chance in this case? You don't. You are doomed at the start.
Dissenter: I am not afraid of the prime minister, and I am not afraid of the judiciary.
Gentleman: Then you are a fool - on both counts.
