ISA Debate - Another round?

[scroobal]

We welcome Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s announcement that his government would repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the Emergency Ordinance. He said the changes are aimed at “having a modern, mature and functioning democracy which will continue to preserve public order, ensure greater civil liberties and maintain racial harmony.” We look forward to the Malaysian Prime Minister fulfilling his promise to his people.
Singapore inherited the ISA from Malaysia. This law has been in existence for more than half a century and its impact on society is both crippling and pernicious. Its life began soon after the Second World War as the Emergency Regulations in 1948 when the British used it to put down strong anti-colonial movements. In 1955, the Preservation of Public Security Ordinance incorporating the Emergency Regulations was passed. When Singapore joined Malaysia in 1963, the Federation of Malaya’s Internal Security Act 1960 became part of our law.
The Ministry of Home Affairs claims that:

“ … A person arrested under the ISA in Singapore may be held in custody for up to 30 days after which an Order of Detention or Restriction Order must be issued or else the person must be released unconditionally. ​

In Malaysia, the period of custody is up to 60 days…” (ST 17.9.2011).​

This comparison is irrelevant because political detainees in Singapore have been imprisoned for periods which far exceed those in Malaysia. Dr Chia Thye Poh was imprisoned for 26 years. Dr Lim Hock Siew was imprisoned for 20 years. Mr Lee Tee Tong was imprisoned for 18 years and Dr Poh Soo Kai and Inche Said Zahari for 17 years.
The Ministry further claims that the Advisory Board is a safeguard against abuse under the ISA.
The protection accorded by the Advisory Board is spurious, if not a farce. Several of us have appeared before such a board and can confirm that the board did not examine witnesses and evidence against the detainee. In 1987, appearances before the board lasted not more than a few minutes each. Furthermore, detainees were discouraged from appearing before the board by ISD officers. Many were advised that appearing before the board would jeopardise their chances of early release.
Singapore has many existing laws that will deal with acts of terrorism. We have the Penal Code, the Sedition Act, Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act, Vandalism Act and after 9/11, the Terrorism (Suppression of Bombings) Act and the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act. These laws provide severe punishments which include death, life imprisonment and caning.
In 1991, then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, “Singapore will seriously consider abolishing the Internal Security Act if Malaysia were to do so”. He made this response to seven Malaysian journalists in his office when asked why the ISA was still needed in Singapore even though the Communist Party of Malaya no longer posed a threat. (ST 3.2.1991.) Now that Malaysia is repealing the ISA, we call upon PM Lee Hsien Loong to translate his 1991 statement into reality and keep in step with the aspirations of our people for a mature and functioning democracy. Indefinite detention without trial is an affront to the human rights of citizens and an assault on our justice system.
Dated this 19th day of September 2011.
Dr Lim Hock Siew
Dr Poh Soo Kai
Said Zahari
Lee Tee Tong
Loh Miaw Gong
Chng Min Oh @ Chuang Men-Hu
Tan Sin alias Tan Seng Hin
Toh Ching Kee
Koh Kay Yew
Vincent Cheng Kim Chuan
Teo Soh Lung
Yap Hon Ngian
Tan Tee Seng
Low Yit Leng
Wong Souk Yee
Tang Fong Har

 

[scroobal]

23 September 2011
Ministry of Home Affairs Press Statement on ISA, 23 September 2011

Sixteen ex-ISA detainees issued a joint statement on 19 Sep 2011 taking issue with the length of detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and also the ISA Advisory Board process.
2 These sixteen ex-detainees were not detained for their political beliefs, but because they had involved themselves in subversive activities which posed a threat to national security. Nine were actively involved in Communist United Front (CUF) activities in support of the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), which was committed to the violent overthrow of the constitutionally-elected governments in Singapore and Malaysia. They infiltrated legally-established organisations like trade unions and student associations, and instigated illegal strikes and demonstrations to cause mayhem and civil strife, to complement the CPM’s armed revolution. In 1974, one of them provided medical assistance to a CPM saboteur who was hiding in Malaysia. The saboteur had been conveying a bomb for an attack in Singapore, and was travelling along Still Road (Katong) when it detonated prematurely, injuring him and killing his two accomplices. Such was the volatile and dangerous security situation then prevailing in Singapore. Following the CPM’s call in 1968 to its underground networks to return to armed struggle, new CPM organisations were formed in the 1970s which included killer squads to carry out sabotage, assassinations and other acts of violence.
3 In the 1980s, seven of the sixteen ex-detainees were involved in a Marxist plot to subvert and destabilise Singapore. The plot was part of the CPM’s renewed efforts to rebuild the united front by penetrating and manipulating legally-established organisations. Three of them infiltrated and manipulated several religious organisations and, exploiting the religious cover, pursued activities towards subversive ends. They worked with others, including leftist elements from the CPM era, to build a covert network to promote a Marxist agenda, using united front tactics to control and influence organisations engaged in religious and social activism. Five of these ex-detainees swore Statutory Declarations concerning their past activities.
4 On the issue of length of detention under the ISA, whether a person’s detention is extended depends on whether he still poses a security threat. For example, detainees who refused to renounce violence were detained for longer periods until they were assessed to no longer pose a security threat to society, whereas others who renounced violence and no longer posed a security threat were released much sooner.
5 The allegation that “the protection accorded by the Advisory Board is spurious, if not a farce” is baseless and unwarranted. The Advisory Board is chaired by a Supreme Court judge, and scrutinises every detention case to satisfy itself that there are valid security grounds which warrant detention. Members of the Board are appointed by the President and the Board enjoys the immunities and powers of a court of law. It examines representations from detainees and their legal counsel, studies the evidence including classified intelligence, and examines witnesses including senior ISD officers when it deems necessary. These safeguards were further enhanced when in 1991, the elected President was given the power to veto the Government’s decision to detain a person against the recommendation of the Advisory Board. Indeed, the Board has on several occasions made independent recommendations for the early release of detainees, including three of the sixteen ex-detainees.

6 The external security environment and the threats to our national security have evolved with changing times and circumstances. In the CPM era, armed communist insurgencies, transnationally motivated and supported, infected countries throughout our region. The communist threat was not just violent insurgency but also the systematic subversion of the political arena to foment civil strife and de-stabilise the country. We also encountered cases of espionage, and cases where a foreign power or agency tried to subvert Singa¬pore’s domestic politics. From time to time racial and religious extremists, sometimes externally supported and instigated, sought to provoke racial conflict and subvert our ethnic harmony. Today, we face the threat of jihadist terrorism, not only from Al-Qaeda-linked clandestine groups like the Jemaah Islamiyah but also from self-radicalised individuals.
7 A small country, open to external influences and located in a turbulent region, will always face security threats. Their nature will evolve over time. The ISA and its use have likewise evolved as Singa¬pore’s circumstances, vulnerability and risk tolerance change. While the Government certainly monitors developments in the laws and systems of other countries, on a matter as important as security it ultimately has to decide based on what is prudent and necessary in Singa¬pore’s context and is in Singa¬pore’s best interests. As an instrument of last resort, the ISA has enabled us to counter serious security threats, protect our people, and preserve our racial harmony and social cohesion. It remains relevant and necessary in today’s evolving security environment, for keeping Singa¬pore safe and secure.

MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
23 SEPTEMBER 2011

 

[scroobal]

Anyone care to work out the links between the first generation and the latest generation of detainees that appear in the first statement.

 

[LeeLaoPeh]

The 1989 tripartite peace agreement only sign by Malaysian , Thailand and MCP . So Communists can still illegals in Singapore .

I wants you all to see MP of Havelok SMC gives speechs after 50 year . She is elected by Singaporean peoples but never walk in to parlament before .
She was lock up twice by ISA . First time by Lim Yew Hock , and a lawyer call Lee Kwan You fight to release her . The second time the same lawyer locks her up .

Why leh?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9f9DDo2Aspk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

 

[HTOLAS]

This was her margin of victory - impressive.

http://www.singapore-elections.com/lega-1963-ge/havelock.html

 

[steffychun]

The majority of Singaporeans won't give a damn so long as they have iPads, iPhones and Whatsup

 

[Forvendet]

Actually, I'm for ISA as long as there's no abuse like over detention or torturing detainees or political motivated agenda. Looking back, it certainly has saved the vast majority in peace and affected very few only. That said, I'd have to admit too, looking back, some of the detainees were unfairly treated. In any case, I don't recall if there'd been any political detainee for some 20 years. Nobody is really too concerned over it now except the activists. In other words, the cause against it isn't a vote winner, if not an outright vote loser. But what the hell, losing votes is what SDP specializes in anyway.

 

[Hans168]

Actually, I'm for ISA as long as there's no abuse like over detention or torturing detainees or political motivated agenda. Looking back, it certainly has saved the vast majority in peace and affected very few only. That said, I'd have to admit too, looking back, some of the detainees were unfairly treated. In any case, I don't recall if there'd been any political detainee for some 20 years. Nobody is really too concerned over it now except the activists. In other words, the cause against it isn't a vote winner, if not an outright vote loser. But what the hell, losing votes is what SDP specializes in anyway.

U only know half the hard truths.......... a fren of mine had ISA used on him just becos the police blokes wanted to extract info from him about someone an arms smuggler fren he knew long ago .

There shud be a more acceptable way than using this sledge hammer!

 

[Forvendet]

U only know half the hard truths.......... a fren of mine had ISA used on him just becos the police blokes wanted to extract info from him about someone an arms smuggler fren he knew long ago .

There shud be a more acceptable way than using this sledge hammer!

Better than innocents getting shot with smuggled firearms. Despite the tight firearms control in Singapore, some gangsters or robbers somehow still popped up firearms sometimes. If your friend is properly procedurally detained for questioning to facilitate investigation and co-operated, I don't see what's the problem.

 

[HTOLAS]

The problem with vesting near absolute power with anyone (but especially with a party leadership that has known nothing but power) is that it is likely to corrupt almost absolutely. The following words attributed to Pastor Niemoller are instructive.


First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

 

[scroobal]

“Are you a Marxist?”​

“No. I’m a Catholic.”​

PIAK!​

“Are you a Marxist?​

“No. I’m a Catholic.​

PIAK!​

“Are you instigating workers?”​

“No. I’m helping workers.​

PIAK!​

“Are you a Marxist?”​

“No. I’m a Catholic.​

PIAK! PIAK!​

“Are you instigating workers?”​

“No. I’m helping workers.”​

PIAK!​

I felt cold, very cold and numb. Surely this can’t be real, this can’t be happening. But the blows to my face kept coming after every reply.​

Men kept coming and going out of the room, talking among themselves, barking at me, shaking their heads. J.T*, another little man with a moustache, the case officer. T.*, a little woman, his assistant case officer. Long Jaw, who slapped me with powerful swings of his arm and the full force of his body behind every blow.​

I wanted to forget it all but I couldn’t. It was humiliating. I was crying out that it was totally unwarranted. Were they stupid? Marxist? Me? I tried to tell them what I am – a Catholic. Tang Lay Lee
​

 

[scroobal]

http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/05/operation-spectrum-was-political-rape/

The 22 Detainees​

Arrested on 21 May 1987:​

1. Vincent Cheng Kim Chuan, 40: Detained for a total of three years. Considered by the press release of the Minister of Home Affairs as the leader of the group, was a former theology student, a full-time worker in the Church movements. He was the secretary of the Justice and Peace Commission where he had worked since 1983. From June 1982 to June 1983, he undertook the coordination of the volunteers and their activities in the Catholic Centre for foreign workers. (But) he no longer belonged to the group since 1984.
2. Ng Bee Leng, 23: A full-time employee at the Catholic Centre for foreign workers. She was formerly a student of the Polytechnic of Singapore where she had been president of the Students Union.
3. Tang Lay Lee, 33: Lawyer, was an employee of the Young Christian Workers of Singapore.
4. Kevin Desmond de Souza, 26: Graduate of the Law Faculty of the University of Singapore, was, at the time of his arrest, an employee of the Association of Catholic Students at the Polytechnic. He was a member of C.O.R.D.
5. Mah Lee Lin, 22: Graduate of the Polytechnic of Singapore. From 1982 to 1984, she had been the secretary of the Students Union. Within the framework of the Chai Chee Catholic Centre which was an extension of the Catholic Centre for foreign students. She belonged to a group of volunteers which helped Malaysian workers.
6. Teo Soh Lung, 39: Lawyer. Detained for a total of 2 and a half years. Offered her services to the Catholic Centre for foreign workers. She had been one of the first collaborators of the Centre at its foundation in 1980, especially in its activities regarding Malaysians and Filipinos. Together with Tan Tee Seng, she had organised English lessons and an introduction to workers’ rights. That went on until 1982. She was then engaged by the Director of the Centre as an advocate-councillor.
7. Kenneth Tsang: A graduate of an English University, was an economist by training. In 1983, he gave English courses at the Catholic Centre for some months to foreign workers. He collaborated in the Justice and Peace Commission.
8. Jenny Chin Lai Ching: Wife of Kenneth Tsang and the sister of Juliet Chin, a student who had been expelled from Singapore in 1974. Jenny was a journalist for the Malaysian newspaper New Straits Times and a collaborator for the Justice and Peace Commission.
9. Tan Tee Seng, 28: Former student of the Polytechnic and Vice-President of the Students Union. With Teo Soh Lung, he was one of the first volunteers of the Geylang Catholic Centre, where he had been active until 1984. He, too, had taken part in the activities of the Justice and Peace Commission.
10. Low Yit Leng: A graduate of the Polytechnic, she had carried out the charge of Secretary General of the Students Union. She had also been the Secretary General of the Association of Asian Students which had its headquarters in Hong Kong (81-83). She collaborated in the Justice and Peace Commission. She was the manager of a printing firm.
11. Teresa Lim Li Kok, 32: Publisher. She took part in the activities of The Third Stage. (See report on her life after detention here.)
12. Chung Lai Mei, 22: A graduate of the Polytechnic, just ended her term as Assistant General Secretary of the Association of Asian Students, a position she had occupied since 1985.
13. Wong Souk Yee, 28: Detained for 15 months. Former member of the Students Union, she had written and produced theatrical plays for The Third Stage group, of which she was the president.
14. Chia Boon Tai, 36: Graduate of a British University, was a Malaysian who collaborated with The Third Stage group.

15. Tay Hong Seng, 36: Worked in the government controlled television station SBC. He was a founding member of the theatrical group The Third Stage.
16. William Yap Hong Ngian, 40: A graduate of a British University collaborated in a television chain. He was a member of the group “The Third Stage”.

Arrested on 20 June 1987:​

17. Tang Fong Har, 32: Lawyer, arrested on 20 June 1987 and served with a one-year detention order. Released on 12 September 1988. She was one of the nine signatories of the joint statement recanting their earlier statements made under detantion but escaped the re-arrest as she was overseas at the time, and has remained in exile to this day.
18. Chew Kheng Chuan: Printer, arrested and detained on 20 June 1987.
19. Chng Suan Tse : Lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic and president of an experimental drama group.
20. Fan Wan Peng
21. Ronnie Ng
22. Nur Effendi Sahid

Others who were also arrested:​

Francis Seow: Lawyer for three of the detainees, who, while waiting to meet two of the detainees, was himself arrested within the premises of the ISD. The government accused him of “colluding with U.S. diplomats to build an opposition in Singapore.”
Patrick Seong: Lawyer, whom the government accused of having been a “propagandist” in providing information to foreign correspondents during the 1987 detentions.

 

[Ramseth]

The problem with vesting near absolute power with anyone (but especially with a party leadership that has known nothing but power) is that it is likely to corrupt almost absolutely. The following words attributed to Pastor Niemoller are instructive.


First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

There's no need for anyone to come after or speak; all that were left were pure breed Aryan Germans, "one of us" amongst each other. Well, at least until they were defeated by British and other European Aryan allies.

“Are you a Marxist?”​

“No. I’m a Catholic.”​

PIAK!​

“Are you a Marxist?​

“No. I’m a Catholic.​

PIAK!​

“Are you instigating workers?”​

“No. I’m helping workers.​

PIAK!​

What did you or they expect?

"Are you a Marxist?"

"No, I'm a Catholic."

"Amen. You can go back to church."

Just a simple "no" would do. Why kept repeating being Catholic? That's already trying to involve and invoke religion, something not tolerated by old man. They were defiant and non-co-operative and asking for it. The officers involved were just doing their jobs as trained. Remember, the same government that trained us to serve and protect is the same government that trained us to beat and kill. You can't serve and protect without the ability to beat and kill. The same officer who beat you up yesterday may be the one who saves your life tomorrow. The same officer too weak to beat up anybody may be the one to watch you getting killed by gangster, then call for hearse.

 

[steffychun]

Do the average person on the street know thme or care about thme? No. The average person cares about his handphone, his shopping list (not food, luxury items), how many friends he can have on facebook, how many pictures he has tagged on him. Zouk, Sentosa, Universal studios etc etc....

Sorry that's life.

 

[HedgeTrader]

What did you or they expect?

"Are you a Marxist?"

"No, I'm a Catholic."

"Amen. You can go back to church."

Just a simple "no" would do. Why kept repeating being Catholic? That's already trying to involve and invoke religion, something not tolerated by old man. They were defiant and non-co-operative and asking for it. The officers involved were just doing their jobs as trained. Remember, the same government that trained us to serve and protect is the same government that trained us to beat and kill. You can't serve and protect without the ability to beat and kill. The same officer who beat you up yesterday may be the one who saves your life tomorrow. The same officer too weak to beat up anybody may be the one to watch you getting killed by gangster, then call for hearse.

You confessed already. 不打自招。You were involved in beating them up. :oIo:

 

[anipupua]

In Poh Soo Kai's case, he was arrested 40 years ago. Teo Soh Lung was arrested 20 years ago. Surely, the MHA can now produce the evidence that they were communist/communist helpers/Marxist. MHA still insults Singaporeans' intelligence. I will be most surprise if MHA can support their allegations.

 

[refulgence]

The abolition of the ISA is possible only when the regime changes.

 

[Ramseth]

You confessed already. 不打自招。You were involved in beating them up. :oIo:

I've never laid a finger on any of them. I was rookie then. Just standby and watch.

 

[kingrant]

"Let us get down to fundamentals. Is this an open, or is this a closed society? Is it a society where men can preach ideas - novel, unorthodox, heresies, to established churches and established governments - where there is a constant contest for men's hearts and minds on the basis of what is right, of what is just, of what is in the national interests, or is it a closed society where the mass media - the newspapers, the journals, publications, TV, radio - either bound by sound or by sight, or both sound and sight, men's minds are fed with a constant drone of sycophantic support for a particular orthodox political philosophy? I am talking of the principle of the open society, the open debate, ideas, not intimidation, persuasion not coercion..."

- Lee Kuan Yew, Before Singapore's independence, Malaysian Parliamentary Debates, Dec 18, 1964

Naturally, he meant that only his ideas be let open to expression when others are in power. But when he is in power, again only his ideas must prevail, not yours to be expressed openly, unless they coincide with his.

That is your founding father of modern Singapore, modern democratic Singapore.

 

[kingrant]

This is the part that MHA connected them.

"3. In the 1980s, seven of the sixteen ex-detainees were involved in a Marxist plot to subvert and destabilise Singapore. The plot was part of the CPM’s renewed efforts to rebuild the united front by penetrating and manipulating legally-established organisations. Three of them infiltrated and manipulated several religious organisations and, exploiting the religious cover, pursued activities towards subversive ends. They worked with others, including leftist elements from the CPM era, to build a covert network to promote a Marxist agenda, using united front tactics to control and influence organisations engaged in religious and social activism. Five of these ex-detainees swore Statutory Declarations concerning their past activities. "

To me, I find the link tenuous. Deng Xiao Peng visited S'pore in 1978 and met with Lee where among many things discussed, was the CPM radio broadcasts which Lee claimed still championed armed struggle. Deng promised to look into it on his return and they were stopped.

Also, by the 1980s, many CPM cadres in Malaysia were already run road, since the British Briggs Plan practically broke the backbone of the armed wing, and in 1957 in fact, most of Malaya was considered cleared of the armed CPM militia control, so I don't believe the CPM was in a state to rebuild their open front again when the HQ was in tatters.

Lee simply was frightened by his own shadows and was shooting at anything that moved and looked like open front activities. It was true that at the time, the North Vietnamese had defeated the Americans after a huge war and Lee feared the worst from the Vietnamese north more than the Chinese with whom he had made truce. This made him more jittery. In truth, the church workers were propelled by a movement fashionable at the time in the Philippines then led by Catholic priests agitating for political ends, not nec communism's (Marcos' dictatorship was overthrown by People Power revolution backed by the catholic church). These social workers were caught in a crossfire between Lee and the Catholic fathers behind them. The Communist open front excuse was a very convenient excuse to use the ISA because Lee knew that the people would believe him more than if he had taken on the Catholic faith.

Anyone care to work out the links between the first generation and the latest generation of detainees that appear in the first statement.