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Your
Letters
23
Mar 08
Dear Dr Chee Soon Juan,
Congratulations
on your success to totally embarrass our police force in front of
so many tourists and foreigners. Gives them a look of real
Singapore and don't be fooled by the façade of
developments and prosperity.
It's damn "shiok"
to see the Police officers looking so exasperated and helpless in
trying to persuade you to leave. They look like total idiots.
They are probably not trained to deal with the masters of
peaceful protests and the art of countering civil disobedience.
Might as well, because if our Police behave like the
Malaysian ones, I am very worried about what would happen to the
children.
(Are those your children – they are
absolutely gorgeous – they have grown up quite a bit since
I saw them on stage at your rallies, as well as the photographs
you put up on this website when they met you at Prisons and
participated in the walk etc.
It's courageous of you to
expose them to such things from young – protest and stand
up for your rights - it's an education like no others. Good for
you. And I dare the Police to unleash their riot Police on
children.)
The poster you have on PM as a mozzie is
ingenious. Why not have him "kow-towing" and "sucking
up" to the Westerners to show the world who he and his wife
really are.
But, personally, I thought the word "tak
boleh tahan" is overdoing it. It does look a bit obvious
that you are borrowing the success of the Malaysians. It isn't
convincing since you don't really have Malays in your midst, but
that's another matter altogether.
This protest was well
planned, much better than the previous ones. You guys and girls
are getting better at this. The civil disobedience workshops have
indeed trained a cadre of disciplined protesters.
You
must try to bring in more foreigners and activists to train them
more advance tactic, locking arms is passé, although they
did it with much precision. It's the first time I have seen it
done here.
Having members photographing the event and
videotaping the entire episode was ingenious. The photographs
were up almost instantaneously giving a truthful version of what
transpired – an eye for an eye against those mild policeman
who only know how to videotape but cannot put them up.
It's
almost as if you can read them like a book and know what their
limitation is – your trial and error from years of practice
has paid off. I saw the videos on Youtube and was awed by your
heart of steel and determination, Mr Chia Ti Lik's attempt to
convince the policeman in a gentlemanly manner was first class,
and Ms Chee grit vis-à-vis the meek policewomen in shirts
was a sight to behold. Kudos to Uncle Yap for continuing his
protest in the remand cell. He is a man of principle and I salute
him.
Finally, your charisma to woo the entire cohort of
Singapore politics members to participate in this walk is
ingenious. You should also try to rally the Falungong members to
join you in your fight against tyranny.
Being a gay, I am
pissed off by this Government, and will continue to support you
and your team in your arduous task of standing up for our rights.
But democracy has no boundaries. Like you, I want to
abolish death penalty, I want the cost of living to drop, I want
a clean and green world, I want the war against Iraq to stop now,
I want the trade sanction against the tyranny of Myanmar. A lot
of these are the "crime" against humanity perpetuated
by capitalist countries led by USA and Europe. Singapore is in
cahoots since we like to suck up to these countries.
These
are official mafias of the world, and to deal with them, we need
to fry the big fish. The UN Sanction against death penalty failed
because US doesn't want to take the lead to do so. Chevron (USA)
and TOTAL (Europe) continue to extract oil from Burma while
calling on other nations to impose trade sanction is double
standard and attempts to monopolize trade in Burma.
USA
continues to send men in to Iraq and fish terrorists off to
Guantanamo Bay is against humanity – not unlike the ISA in
Singapore. While we protest against the draconian Singapore
Government, let's put pressure on the mafia chiefs who are
running this world like their own backyard, shitting on us while
enjoying the gains and riches.
Fight on.
TERENCE
_________________________
Dear Dr
Chee,
I felt angry and frustrated when I saw this picture
of Seelan Palay being dragged by the police. I really pity him.
He was just a peaceful protestor. I did not see police bully the
criminal 'one -eye dragon'.
But it is a blessing in
disguise. He will be another Tian Chua if he stands for election.
My vote will go to him definitely. I hope he can stand against
Lim Swee Say. He collects million dollar salary and allows
foreign workers to compete with Singapore workers, we pay tax but
the foreign workers don't. I see his face Tak Boleh
Tahan.
GARY
_________________________
Dear
Secretary General, Dr Chee/SDP,
I hope this message finds
you well, and in good spirits. My name is Andi, and I am
absolutely fed up with the corrupt Lee dictatorship here, as well
common people being screwed and sucked dry.
I regret that
I wasn't able to be present at the rally today, but please keep
me posted, as I would like to be present at future protests.
I
admire your efforts and courage so far in your fight for true
democracy in Singapore. May God's peace, love and blessings be
upon you.
ANDI
_________________
Hi SDP,
I
am a constant reader of the SDP website. I feel I get more info
there than when I read The
Straits Times.
I'd
just like to say that I am disappointed with that terrorist
escaping. I do agree with what I read on your website that alot
of questions need to be asked. I hope the inquiry panel that wong
kan seng has talked about will give a un-bias explanation of what
happened.
However I don't agree with you that the
independent panel needs to include the SDP. I just feel if the
SDP is included then you are going to politicise this whole
issue. and this is going to sidetrack as to what the whole
inquiry was set up to find in the 1st place.
The 2nd
thing I don't agree with you is on the issue of the internal
security act. I am all for having it. I feel that if we didn't
have the ISA then its very likely that Yishun MRT and all the
other targets would have been bombed with massive loss of life.
Don't tell me the SDP would rather wait for something to happen
then take action? I call that too little too late.
It does
trouble me to read that you think that Mr. Kastari has not
committed a crime. As I said above, would you rather they bombed
the said targets before the government arrests them? It is in
this respect that I find the ISA very useful.
Also
comparing the people you mentioned like Chia Thye Poh etc, isn't
a fair comparison. they aren't terrorists.
Best
regards,
NEIL
SDP's
Reply:
Hello
Neil,
Thank you for being a fan of our website and for
your positive feedback. We hope you will pass our web address
around to friends and family and encourage them to visit us
too.
Regarding your specific comments, despite our
Government's effort to depoliticize almost everything, the prison
breakout is a highly political issue whether the SDP is involved
or not. In some democratic countries, ministers would have lost
their jobs over matters such as this.
In the Singapore
context, creating an independent panel is impossible without the
involvement of the opposition. SDP would be happy to participate
if such a panel is called for.
It is unfortunate that you
support the ISA. Whether Kastari is a criminal or not (we do not
know at this point in time because he never had a chance to
defend himself) your assumption that he is a terrorist is based
wholly on what the ISD has made him out to be.
Not only
has the ISD proven themselves wrong so often in the past, it has
given itself to be tool for the ruling party in the suppression
of political dissidents. (See also our argument against ISA in
our manifesto.)
"Injustice
anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an
inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of
destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."
~ Martin
Luther King, Jr.
I
wish you best of luck and hope that you will never have to taste
the blunt end of the ISA.
____________________
Hi,
SDP,
my name is Sukh and I'm 27 yrs old and living in
Woodlands with my family. I've come to realise at this point in
my life that I'm really a true Singaporean and sad to say many
are not.
I am also very angry about the facts that
Singapore is changing into a Chinese society rather than a
national society. English has not being the national language in
Singapore. I hope that all true Singaporeans can come together
and make it happen.
By that, I mean the rising of SDP!
When I turned 21 and voted in the elections for the first time in
my life, I voted for SDP instead of PAP.
And from the very
first vote I made till the very last I'm gonna make is to the
SDP, because a true Singaporean like me can only do the right
thing. And as long I know, I'm doing the right thing, I'm not
afraid to stand up for myself even if it means it's against the
law!
Because then I'd say that the law is surely wrong
and that just goes to show that our government is corrupt. Indeed
they are not giving us human rights and fairness to all the
minorities in Singapore.
I just would like to stop here
and hope to continue supporting SDP till the end. I hope to make
other Singaporeans aware of the truth and what's been going on
all these years. I believe knowing is wisdom and understanding is
power!
Don't worry, my vote goes to the SDP all the way
in every single general elections in Singapore. I really want SDP
to be the next Party of Singapore. Simply because I'm a true
Singaporean.
SUKH
_______________________
Dear
SDP,
Regarding the protest in front of Parliament House on
Saturday, it shows the early stages for genuine democracy in
Singapore by demonstration.
It is our right as a citizen
to show how is the ruling party oppress the people of
Singapore.
So this is the alternative way to voice up the
people's problem. Keep up the good job and build more mass
movement. It is good progress that people rise up and move
forward for democracy.
JEEVA
_________________________
Dear
Mr Chee Soon Juan, Parties Members of SDP,
Do all of you
have anything better to do than to slate your own country in
front of the Americans (in ref to your letter to Mr Obama
regarding Singapore's education system)? Any idea why Mr Obama is
a favourite for the presidential race whereas you people flop in
the elections time and time again?
It is because he could
'see' things which you people don't, such as recognising
Singapore's education system. Stop your moaning, groaning and
childish actions of using Children as your 'shields' in your
recent so called demonstrations for the people!
You are
making Singaporeans a laughing joke, especially the quality of
opposition parties here. You people made me laugh and Mr Chee you
are no Ghandi nor Luther King, in trying to emulate these greats,
you will make them turn in their graves. Wake up your freaking
ideas.
JAMES
_________________________
Dear
Dr. Chee and Ms Chee,
I've been a loyal reader of SDP
website. After 2 years of reading, I can't help developing an
impression that you guys may be just pawns or puppets used to
further political agendas. What I'm referring is a conspiracy
within another conspiracy. You know what I mean? Some, tend to
see through it all, while others become sincerely deceived.
I
think it's not very right to stir emotions and play with their
minds, what you guys did, in getting support through online
request for meetup and gathering and eventually all the partakers
who participated in your event will end up getting into trouble
with the police and landing themselves detained in station
getting a record.
How I perceived SDP, is that you guys
are employed in the agenda to lure out typical dissidents. What's
merely using the bait to get targets hooked and caught.
Many
Singaporeans are really affected by the economical condition.
It's a fact, it don't require anyone to talk about it, nor show
demonstrations through placards, deep down in the hearts, people
know what's going on and also, how the actual attitude of the
govt of Singapore towards human rights, fairness and suffering.
We all know. May I request you guys to be more mature and
not toy with the feelings of Singaporeans any more than you
allowed yourself to be toyed by the masters you serve.
In
the financial aspect, Singapore is already going through rather
uncertain times ahead. Just because someone is a dissenter and
even through peaceful demonstrations, it doesn't justify he/she
deserves to get a negative record with the police because it may
affect his employment prospect in future & in turn, this may
cause him to be crippled emotionally, financially, or worst,
physically, when he's sick and have no $ to pay for medical
fee.
However, in the fearful times ahead, I try to remind
myself and find simple contentment/trust in the leadership of
Singapore. We all owe it to MM Mr. Lee Kuan Yew & his team of
leaders. Singapore had indeed changed so much over the years to
be a 1st world country and We are really grateful to be living in
Singapore.
DAVE
____________________________
Dear
SDP,
How many people are proud to be citizens of this
beautiful country? The country of ours, the crest and stars for
the rights that men have died for to protect.
The woman
and men who have broke their neck for the freedom of speech the
government has sworn to uphold. I never have dreamed in a million
years. I would see so many people who share the same views and
the same exact beliefs.
GA
________________________
Hi
Dr Chee,
I am so grateful to see you and your friends
protest outside our Parliament. Your courage makes me feel proud
to be a citizen. The PAP must be made to know that they are just
a group of selfish people who care only for themselves.
I
don't like bullying by people. I can't stand it when I see bigger
forces eat smaller ones. It is just not fair. What about the
smallest people in Singapore?
AMOS
______________________
Dear
all at SDP,
Thanks for speaking up for us! One day many
others will join you. Your actions are great although Funan
Centre boss is probably peeing in his
pants!
MESSI
___________________
Dear
SDP,
You speak so much about democracy, justice and
freedom. But what exactly are your programs for the nation. You
can't be talking all just about protest and media freedom and so
on. It will just make just make you look like any other normal
party.
Up till now, the PAP govt cabinet does not reflect
the equal representation of races in the country. The Malays,
although the second largest race, in the country do not have even
a Deputy PM or even a general in the army. It is best you think
about how you are going to interact with the layman on the ground
because that is where the votes are going to come from.
So
far, we have not seen any programs done by the SDP to interact
with minorities to win their hearts and minds. All you people do
is talk about democracy and all those imported ideas which are
not really understood by the masses. Learn from the victorious
opposition coalition in Malaysia and you will do
better.
MUHAMMAD SHAMIN
SDP's
reply:
Dr
Chee has written books presenting alternative ideas and programs
for Singapore. The SDP's newspaper, The
New Democrat,
repeatedly emphasizes these alternative policies. A summary of
these are available on this website here. Please spend some time
reading them.
Unfortunately, we are unable to reach the
majority of Singaporeans because the mainstream media is
controlled by the PAP and they refuse to publicise our plans and
ideas. This is why we focus on media freedom because without it,
many Singaporeans will continue to remain in the dark about the
SDP's programmes for Singapore.
________________________
Dear Sir/Madam,
I have to say that I have been one
of the Singaporeans who have just "not bothered" with
Singapore politics and shrugged off everything that our ruling
party has dumped upon us. I rarely ever watch local TV anymore
and never pick up the newspapers, so I am usually unaware of
events in Singapore, unless if I chance upon it while surfing
around. I have been reading about the peaceful protesting in
front of the Parliament, and the "consequences" of it,
and I found it really unfair.
Please include me into any
newsletter subscription you might have so that I could be more
well-informed with the going ons of the Singapore Democratic
Party, including any future demonstrations, so that I might show
my support.
Regards,
ZULKIFLY
Archive
of your letters from 9 Feb 08 here
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