I seldom read the speeches of our ministers. I watch these videos because of the threads here and comments. From these Select Committee proceedings, what I finally found out is that:
K. Shanmugam is not clever.
He believes he could turn things easily into boolean as in computer programming - either a "0" or "1" and nothing in between. But in real life, there exists the fuzzy dividing lines. He cornered Gillian Koh into admitting that lines could be drawn in terms of factual falsehood.
Gillian: "This (Twitter allowed a cartoon - about Muslims surrounding a women and words about "they killed her baby") is clear cut.
Shanmugam: "Twitter did not think it was clear cut and allowed this cartoon to circulate... in Singapore it would be considered clear cut... as a sensible person ...would you would agree it is clearcut?".
G:"Yes"
S: "Would you agree that a suggestion that Obama is a Muslim is a clear cut example?"
G: "Yes"
S:"Would you agree that the suggestions Mrs Clinton was selling arms to ISIS a clear cut example?"
G:"Yes"
S:" You have some questions as to where that line is drawn, but in your earlier evidence, you are quite good enough to agree it can be drawn in terms of clear factual falsehood."
G:"Yes"
D:"That's good enough. Thank you."
K.Shanmugam would never win a law case against an averagely smart lawyer..
Case 1: Twitter's catoon:
Q:"Is it clear cut?"
In France:"It is indeed clear cut. Muslims are devils. So why can't we warn the world about this evil religion"
The moral:"What is clear cut is dependent on what shoes you are wearing."
Case 2: Obama being Muslims:
Q:"Is it clear cut ?"
A: "Not sure".
Even in Singapore there is no direct legislation to determine a person's religion. It all comes down to words of people and witnesses. In Obama's case, the strongest "clear cut" example would be if Obama himself had said in the past he is not a Muslim.
So to Shanmugam, the words of a person could have been taken as evidence of factual truth! It is logically wrong!
Bill Gates: "Microsoft did not make any profit in 2016 and therefore paid no tax"
Q:"Is it a factual truth Microsoft made no profit?"
Shanmugam: "Yes"
Temasek CEO :" We made tons of money every year"
Q:"Is it a factual truth?"
Shanmugam:"Yes"
The moral:"Words of witnesses may be accepted in courts to come to a final legal judgment; but nowhere in law (anywhere in the world) says that such words of witnesses ever represent factual truth or falsehood"
Case 3: Mrs Clinton was selling arms to ISIS
Q:"Is it a factual falsehood?"
A: "Who knows?".
Q:"Do politicians tell only the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?"
A: "No"
Shanmugam could pass the examinations for a law degree, but he is not clever. He sits on a pedestal above the lady and could easily intimidate Gillian Koh. The lady is too Eastern.
Quotable quotes:
A fat male thinks fatness is sexy.
A fat female thinks fatness is beauty.
A mathematician says the brain is all that matter.
A lawyer says there would be peace when all things
are covered by the law.
But God says: "The only thing important ever is that you obey me.
I'll here let out a great secret lest ye earthlings continue to argue.
It is a factual truth that my real name is Allah
