Shanmugam living in a state of denial over political repression in Singapore
January 25th, 2010 | 
Author: OPINION
Singapore Law Minister K Shanmugam is a busy man of late having to defend his ruling party’s miserable human rights record to the international community and he appears to be running out of excuses to convince skeptics otherwise.
New York-based NGO Human Rights Watch released a lengthy report last Thursday accusing Singapore of being a “textbook example of a politically repressive state.”
As expected, Mr Shanmugam regurgitated Singapore’s standings in other studies to rebuke Human Rights Watch:
“Singapore is a democratic state with a clean and transparent government, whose public officials are held responsible against the highest standards of probity and integrity,” the Ministry of Law said in a statement to international news agency AFP.
The ministry cited the latest World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report which rated Singapore as “first out of 133 countries for public trust of politicians and transparency of government policymaking”.
The Law Ministry does not seem to appreciate the difference between “repression” and “public trust”.
The WEF Global competitiveness report collected its data by interviewing ordinary Singaporeans and expatriates on how much they trust Singapore politicians.
The findings must be taken with a heavy dose of salt for three reasons: one, there is no free and independent press in Singapore and two, the citizenry is not informed and educated in Singapore and three, few Singaporeans dare to criticize the ruling party in public especially to foreigners.
As such, we cannot take the ranking at face value to arrive at the conclusion that Singapore has a “clean and transparent” government.
Furthermore, a “clean and transparent” government can be repressive at the same time as history has shown us.
If you were to interview citizens living in Hitler’s Germany, Stalin’s USSR, Mao’s China or Kim Jong IL’s North Korea, it is likely that they would praise their leaders sky-high for leading a “clean and transparent” government as well.
Very often, citizens living in a state of repression are unaware of the fact that they are being oppressed by the state and many continue to worship it blindly as the guardian of their rights after years of relentless brainwashing by the state propaganda.
Other than conducting elections on a regular basis, Singapore does not have any resemblance of a democracy for which democratic country in the world will have the ruling party winning elections after elections by such overwhelming margin?
Singapore lacks the fundamental pillars necessary to build a functioning democratic society – a free and independent media, an independent judiciary, a robust civil society, a well-informed and educated citizenry and political rights such as freedom of speech and assembly.
All the major newspapers in Singapore are owned by one single media agency – Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) which is under the firm control of the ruling party. The current Chairman of SPH is Dr Tony Tan, a former deputy prime minister.
The International Bar Association’s human right institute issued a damning reporting in October 2009 expressing “concerns about the objective and subjective independence and impartiality” of the judiciary. (read article here)
In cases involving litigants from the ruling People’s Action Party or PAP interests, the IBA finds “concerns about an actual or apparent lack of impartiality and/or independence, which casts doubt on the decisions made in such cases.”
There is no independent civil society in Singapore. All the grassroots organizations are under the purview of the People’s Association whose Chairman is none other than the Prime Minister himself.
Singapore’s octagenarian leader Lee Kuan Yew admitted recently that “all CCs, CCCs and RCs are part of the PAP” during a dialogue session. (read article here)
Though Singapore citizens are entitled to freedom of speech and assembly as enshrined under the Singapore Constitution, it is rarely practised in real life. A Public Order Act was introduced last year which makes even a solo protest illegal.
Citizens are often harassed, arrested and jailed by the security apparatus for legitimate political activities. Last week, three opposition members of the Singapore Democratic Party were jailed a week each for distributing flyers critical of the ruling party.
Neither is the ruling party accountable and transparent. Blatant mistakes made by senior leaders often went unpunished and a veil of secrecy enshroud many sensitive issues such as the extent of losses suffered by the country’s two sovereign wealth funds.
When former President Ong Teng Cheong wanted to find out more about Singapore’s reserves, he was told by the Auditor-General that it would take 52 man-years to compute the figures.
Both GIC and Temasek Holdings reportedly lost a few billion dollars in failed overseas investments last year, but no commission of inquiry was set up to investigate the losses and their board of directors remain unchanged.
Besides Human Rights Watch, other international organizations which have criticized Singapore for its atrocious human rights records are Freedom House, Amnesty International, Liberal International, International Bar Association and Reporters without Borders.
If the Singapore government is as good as it claims, then it should not be having such a poor reputation among developed nations for its “repressive” track record at all.
Mr Shanmugam should seriously reflect on the criticisms to see if there are any element of truth in them instead of brushing them aside immediately.
The more defensive he is, the more it appeared that his administration has something to hide. A strong and secure government is one which is not afraid of criticisms.
Only an insecure one will resort to the use of repressive measures via the law to silence its critics.
Posted in Opinion
32 Responses to “Shanmugam living in a state of denial over political repression in Singapore”
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“which democratic country in the world will have the ruling party winning elections after elections by such overwhelming margin?…”
Have !! Iraq during Sadamm’s regime, ie before UN’s invasion to liberate the citizens. He was President, term after term.
Shanmugam should return to private law practice where he can defend drug-traffickers, drug-addicts, murderers and money swindlers. That’s where his talent, expertise and potential can be fully realised. This current Law Minister is a joker. As a LAW MINISTER of singapore, instead of looking after and improving the lives and welfare of singaporeans, all he care about is how to protect his masters.
Shan should just shut up. He has already dug a six-foot grave for himself at the next election. Anything deeper than that is redundant.
Billions of dollars have been lost. But no heads roll, no explanations, cause no one dare to ask.
A bird is caged (and controlled), whether in a big cage (with plenty of space to move about)or in a small one, its still caged.
I interpret this what HRW is saying. Perhaps Shanmu is living in a hugh cage.
many singaporeans are living in denial.
They think that Denying opposition to grow is good for the country in the long term.
Talents who give excuse that becos opposition is weak, they wont join it. Unbeknownst to them, a party is only as good as its talents. Talents are the ones who can make it strong. If talents do not understand this, they may not join opposition. Many Talents consciously have decided not to help the country develop a strong opposition for the last 50 years.
Political surveillance of this island has been reduced to a microscopic watch no bigger than 1/4 acre block within Hong Lim Park and THAT STILL NEEDS THINKING SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS video watch 24/7 every day of the year.
If Shanmu is right of no oppression in Singapore’s political climate, he can safely conclude and advise the world that my and Singaporean brains stop thinking.
Shanmugam,
what is the status of Romanian Diplomat ?
A husband was made brain dead for nothing.
Will casinos add as many as 0 crimes to the city?
“public officials are held responsible against the highest standards of probity and integrity” <- really?
1. Mas Selamat escape… who's held responsible instead of the top official?
2. 'Freak' flood… Who's held responsible for not able to address to the obvious flood eminent area?
3. 'HDB is still affordable'… 'Caught off-guard'… who's held responsible for not able to 'predict' the sudden demand for hdb flats and still has the cheek to assure us that hdb is still affordable?
4. Sports hub… Who's held responsible for not able to ensure the sports hub is on schedule?
"Both GIC and Temasek Holdings reportedly lost a few billion dollars in failed overseas investments last year, but no commission of inquiry was set up to investigate the losses and their board of directors remain unchanged." <- does this happen to other MNCs too? I dun think so. If they lose money they fire the top management and replace them with competent ones to prevent further loss… Do we? HC is still at the top… despite writing off GY…
"A Public Order Act was introduced last year which makes even a solo protest illegal." <- is it in effect? I rem there was a report last week on someone doing that at MOE building… wat happen to her? and there is a bus incident… who is held responsible?
"When former President Ong Teng Cheong wanted to find out more about Singapore’s reserves, he was told by the Auditor-General that it would take 52 man-years to compute the figures." <- He was a great man. He did his job well. He wanted to know what he is supposed to protect when he asked for the value of the reserves. When he retired, he was not given the full details too. Worse still, when he passes, he was probably viewed as 'defiant' and denied a State Funeral (all others except Devan, who's also viewed as 'defiant' were given state funeral) That's something to remember and digest…
Vote for change. We vote against… even if we don't vote for.
Are these peoples really elected by Singaporean ??? Or just walkover or GRC ??? Is this what democracy ia about !!!
a) “first out of 133 countries for public trust of politicians and transparency of government policymaking”.
and
b) “textbook example of a politically repressive state.”
is not mutually exclusive, isn’t it?
Hence even if Singapore is (a), Singapore can be (b) too.
So what is your problem?
This one has desperately established himself to challange the pecking order of the MBT, WKS alike…..congratulation.
In Singapore, people are afraid of speaking their mind and even afraid of casting the vote against the PAP. They are afraid they will be targeted if they go against PAP.
This Shanmugam bugger was some big time senior counsel before joining PAP and sneaked into parliament thru’ the GRC scheme.
Looking at his performance, he is simply ordinary. I believe no reputable Law School will teach and condone kangaroo logic or even try to pass it off as legal wisdom.
In using kangaroo logic and supporting kangaroo laws, Shanmugam has disgraced his Law School and those who taught him
Folks…we are talking about someone in this case PAP govn’t law minister shame…did i say just say shame…no denying that from me…
But it is really a shame when the law minister is in denial mode over whether SINGAPORE IS A COUNTRY OR A CITY OR A CITY STATE OR A ISLAND OR A NATION OR A STATE…
And this is the best “Mini-me” ster PAP gov’t can find?
This beats ‘em all!!
This one is for the guiness book of records! LOL from me in pain and stitches : (
I have this interesting analysis from my friend, to explain why Shamugam is like this
Do you know what is the criteria for a ministerial candidate in PAP? Look at our cabinet and you will see what all these people have in common. Look at Richard Hu, he is from Shell, Tony Tan, from OCBC, also we get people from different fields eg. Surgeons, CEOs of Hospitals, SAF retirees etc.
They have NO POLITICAL AMBITION.It is very obvious that all these people have a lack of this trait. They are of no threat to the Party and the dynasty.
If you go for the tea session, you will hear this, “Welcome to the tea session, we have observed you for a while and deemed you capable for office. BUT, i need to tell you upfront. THIS IS MY PARTY! THIS IS MY COUNTRY!If you behave i will guarantee you a very competitive pay, with many perks and i can guarantee you that there will be no retrenchment and no competition from foreign talents!”
He is living in denial just like the 66.66 percent who voted for the PAP to stay on for power for another 50 years…
//Stanley Yang
yeah 66.66% if there is upgrading carrot from PAP.
49.9999% if there is no grc and upgrading stick. (just look at Hougang)
That’s why they had to use upgrading.
Oh look, another live example of the wonderful quote from Upton Sinclair: “It is hard to get a man to understand something when his job depends upon him not understanding it.”
Sinclair wrote that in 1935, mind you. Plus ca change…
“Now, if you want to keep that nice job, there are certain responsibilities you must carry out. Comprenez?”
Anybody remember Colin Powell’s moment of “truth” before the United Nations?
//”A Public Order Act was introduced last year which makes even a solo protest illegal.” <- is it in effect? I rem there was a report last week on someone doing that at MOE building… wat happen to her? and there is a bus incident… who is held responsible?//
The POA is also known as the Chee-law or Chee-act.
“Chee-law or Chee-act.”
It is more candidly known as Chee-Bye Law or Chee-Bye act, which is drCHEE goodBYE’s law.
DO WE HAVE A CHOICE? DO WE NEED TO CHANGE!!
Hi Guys,
I have choosen to take up SIngapore Citizenship years ago, after living and working in many countries. I am glad I have made the choice, I feel my life is better now than ever.
Let me put it this way, Singapore is no heaven, as no country on earth is. My priorities are as follows;
1) I rate Crime and corruption as having a large impact on my life. Imagine being harressed by the so called police and government officials for bribes, and the lack of respect of the law. I value this as much as 30% for my life’s priorities.
2) A well planned and built infrastructure, well organised transportation, and pollution free streets and clean air. Imagine liviong in a country with rubish choked streets, severe traffic jams and pollution. I value this for the next 25% of My life needs.
3)A safe place to put your savings, investments and property, to do business and get employment. I value this for another 25% of my life’s needs.
4) Politics and censorship? Yes it is of intellectual value. and I value this as the balance of 20%.
So I have 80% satisfaction in Singapore, What more do I need? where else can I go?
To HappyFamily :
Try going to Sweden or Norway and then come back to S’pore, then you tell me are you still 80% satisfied.
Our gahment promised to give us Swiss standards of living when they pay themselves those obscene salaries & perks. But what do we get ?? The MRT is so crowded even during off peak hours and the buses so full we can’t board. And worse they are importing Foreign Trash to become citizens and take away jobs meant for the locals !!
If someone with trash quality turns into a local citizen, we can understand they don’t need more because they were worse off a 10 times before setting foot on Singapore soil !!
@ HappyFamily on Tue, 26th Jan 2010 10:17 am
I am glad that you are a happy family here, while I don’t disagree with some on those points you mentioned, we are trying to wake our govt up on many other things if not corrected, your positive points mentioned here will not last much longer. why?
- absolute power breeds corruption
- complete dominance breeds arrorgance
I don’t want to list all the examples, browse thru TR when u have some times. Singapore Inc, the way we see how she is run, she may have so claimed world class infrastructure, but soon will be without a soul, heartless. I am too tire to elaborate further, think harder, see further….beyond what we have now.
Any Singaporean who thinks they live in country exemplary of democracy is delusional.
Get a second opinion about our country from a non Singaporean from another first world country.
If you want to blow your own trumpet, let someone else do it for you.
haha exactly tan khim seng.
no need to get someone from a first world country, just someone from india or taiwan will be able to tell you what is a real democracy
stupid sinkies don’t even know what democracy is lol.
go roll over so they can sue your opposition politicians with more lawsuits and take away all your political rights
Happy Family,
good decision, this is what every one wants when going to a new country to settle down.
hear from your children or grand children in future and look at this post and tell me what you think.
this is a battle between old immigrants and their leaders, who have lost touch with reality and inadvertently breeding growing dissent. they screw us day in and out and at their fancy.
we should not be against new immigrants, in fact all of us are immigrants, we should not forget this, unlike our asia pacific neighbour down under.
we are just fedup. that’s all. imagine being screwed daily in various positions and you still have to pay them and smile and work hard, raise productivity, make babies, pretend to believe the mainstream media, listen to rhetorics and rubbish from the govt who is still having the mentality that their mortal subjects are morons and uses sheep and lions to tell a story. although not so long ago, football and golf was used to explain things to us.
bottomline is, this country is and maybe was successful due a combination of many factors and people. but a country who charges its citizens who wear hopping animals Tee shirts, who make solo protest illegal, who incarcerate without trial who controls everything under the singapore skies and import labour and so called talents with no restrictions, will not last for long.
you will feel this way one day when the time is right. trust me.
XL
deep down he knew pap is wrong in many areas, but he has entered infernal affairs (wu chien tao) 18 levels of hell its difficult to get out now even if he wants to exit to pte practise. he knows too much so don’t think pap will let him go easily. unless lky dies, maybe…
mr.crony shanlingam
Please go back to be a civilian lawyer, get a decent job or you become pap crony becuase you worry foreigners might take over your job. Dont be a crony for LEE dynasty, there are worse than the marcos,worse than suharto. earn halal money sir
with internet all those corrupt leaders are exposed everyday.
Just chuck along like an old choo-choo train and hoping that we the NAY-SAYERS of his geeko boss will INSTAED hop on board his old rickety old train in these days of Mass Rapid Transit Trains – Like for example Japans BULLET TRAINS!!! Smart Lawyer with old “transmissions” like those choo-choo type ones YAH!!!
We may well be the worlds second free economy after Hong Kong but why then are we a miserable 136 in the freedom of information and news publications?
Once again the well read peoples of the world and even the even slightly educated people of Singapore know what its all about.
They just pretend to humour the PAP.
Mr Shanmugam might well to remember that saying..that “one can fool some of the people some of the time; but not all of the people all the time.”