Tan Pin Pin’s To Singapore with Love?

The saga over Media Development Authority Singapore’s (MDA) decision to classify Tan Pin Pin’s To Singapore with Love as Not Allowed for All Ratings (NAR) as it "undermine national security" continues.

 

Jim Sleeper, a lecturer in political science at Yale University, continues to criticize Singapore’s lack of respect for civil and political rights and called for Yale College (and by extension the United States) to pressure “stand up and pressure Singapore as a lone filmmaker cannot”. While Jim Sleeper may not have said it in as many words, Jim Sleeper is alluding to a US intervention in Singapore similar to that of past regime changes in Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

What is however disappointing is that Singaporean Kenneth Jeyaretnam (of the Reform Party), agrees with Jim Sleeper that this should not be a debate for Singaporeans only, and that without outside assistance there will be little hope for change. Kenneth Jeyaretnam is essentially making a call for the United States to be involved in and assist in the overthrow of the People’s Action Party (PAP).

 

Coming from a well-known member of an opposition party, such calls can only be liken to how fifth elements working with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) assisted in regime changes in places like Iraq and Libya. While Singapore may have our faults, we are nowhere near the likes of Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya or Tunisia, and asking for a Foreign Government to topple our elected government is treasonous.

 

As Singaporeans, we need to be wary of the likes of Kenneth Jeyaretnam. While he claims to be building on his father’s legacy and wants democracy, his the ends justifies the means approach will destroy Singapore and our way of life. Just look at Iraq and Afghanistan. Regime change has given them “freedom of speech”. But they worry on a daily basis about basic living necessities (like food and water) and they are constantly living in fear.