Hong Lim Park: Free Speech Gone Wrong 27 September 2014

Freedom of Speech Gone Wrong

 

The ugly incident at Hong Lim Park yesterday (27 September 2014) between Han Hui Hui and Roy Ngerng's supporters, and the non-profit YMCA has brought to light the ugly side of free speech.

 

Han Hui Hui and Roy Ngerng claim that as Singaporeans, they have the right to speak and hold events at Hong Lim Park. Unless the entire YMCA event is organized and attended by foreigners, I cannot see the logic of why Han Hui Hui and Roy Ngerng would deny the same rights that they are demanding for to fellow Singaporeans. The YMCA has as much right to hold an event at Hong Lim Park as does Han Hui Hui and Roy Ngerng.

 

As a Singaporean, I am dismayed that the Government of the day has become too concerned about perceptions that they have become impotent to taking decisive actions. Maybe it is a measured approach not to fan the flame of resentment amongst the "new normal" who think free speech is about name calling, rumour mongering and challenging the Government to sue them. But this approach does not square the those who had voted for a Government that will create a place in which any and all Singaporeans can organize and enjoy an event without being subject to abuse.

 

From the build-up to the incident on 27 September 2014, it is obvious that Han Hui Hui and Roy Ngerng were determined to disrupt YMCA's event for their own personal agendas. This is evident from:

- Han Hui Hui numerous Facebook "appeals" for supporters to come with their families and friends to stage their protest march
- her confrontational approach towards the YMCA organizers; and
- her attempts to politicalize YMCA's Charity Event

If such intentions were clear, why did the authorities not step in decisively to protect the rights of the other Singaporeans? In short, freedom of speech works both ways. If Han Hui Hui and gang demand that as Singaporeans they have the right to speak freely and use Hong Lim Park, they too should recognize the rights of other Singaporeans to speak and use Hong Lim Park freely.

 

While I am a firm advocate of free speech, I believe that it comes with responsibility and as such, as and when necessary, the authorities can and must step in when the exercise of one's rights infringes on the rights of others.

SG Leaks
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Why the PAP is Politically Stupid!

 

A SG Leaks Exclusive. In a closed door dialogue with his grassroots leaders, Minister for Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin declared that the People's Action Party (PAP) is politically stupid. Minister Tan felt that if all the PAP wanted to do was to stay in power (and collect their million dollar salaries), then the PAP should just give the people what they wanted. So if the people wanted their CPF back, then the government should just give it to them. After all, if the PAP obliged, then the PAP can be assured of at least another two or three terms in power.

 

This then begs the question of why the PAP does not give in. The answer is simple. If the PAP gives in to populist demands, it will be left to our children and our children's children to pay the price. As a responsible government, the PAP cannot in their good conscience do this.

Han Hui Hui: Facebook Post She Does Not Want You to See

On 11 August 2014, Han Hui Hui made an appeal on her Facebook page for Singaporeans to come forward and pay Roy Ngerng a monthly salary of $5,300 a month. The money, according to Han Hui Hui is to make Roy Ngerng Singapore's "first full-time Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) that is truly selected by the people."

 

SG Leaks received a screenshot of Han Hui Hui's Facebook post and apparently after receiving no support and being flamed for the idea, Han Hui Hui has taken down the post.

 

 

From what we can gather from sources close to Han Hui Hui and Roy Ngerng, the pair's end game is clear. Continue to instigate attacks against the government to provoke a reaction and then to play the sympathy card as the victims of political oppression. The end state being to gain a political appointment and the more than $5,300 that comes with it. It remains to be seen if any of the legitimate political parties in Singapore will field Roy Ngerng and Han Hui Hui as their candidate in GE 2016.

Dr Tan Cheng Bock Uninvited

In the run up to the National Day Parade 2014, Dr Tan Cheng Bock has once again raised the issue that he was not invited. On his Facebook page, Dr Tan feinted humility by claiming that a former grassroots leader had asked him about his attendance at the parade and how he “magnanimously” responded that he believed a policy change has excluded some people including himself. This is very similar to how he also “magnanimously” informed Singaporeans that he was “un-invited” to the annual Chinese New Year Garden Party at the Istana.

 

 

For a presidential hopeful, I am rather surprised that Dr Tan does not know how ridiculous his comments about being no longer invited sound. To me, how Dr Tan Cheng Bock is being treated by his former party, is really no different from how any company would treat a former trusted employee. The moment a former employee sets-up another company to compete with them, or joins their direct competitor, the former employee automatically forfeits any goodwill to be invited to future company events.

 

If logical Singaporeans can accept this is how a private sector company would treat a former employee that “turns on them”, I wonder why the same logical Singaporean cannot seem to accept it when the government treats a former MP the same way.

 

So, Dr Tan Cheng Bock, while I do have great respect for you, I have serious doubt when you continue to harp about being slighted when you are no longer given special treatment as a former member of the People’s Action Party (PAP). Your own actions have brought this upon yourself. So stop trying to push the blame to your former friends and colleague. The sympathy card will not work on thinking Singaporeans.  In fact, your act of turning on your former colleagues in government does, in my opinion, allude to you having a questionable character.

 

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Singapore General Elections 2016

The upcoming Singapore General Elections (GE) 2016 look set to be a water-shed election for the ruling People's Action Party (PAP). Going by online comments, it looks like the PAP can do no right and that the electorate is set to vote out the PAP in a demonstration of their unhappiness over how the government's various policies have made life unbearable for the average Singaporean.

The irony is that the PAP's policies are in fact made in the best interest of Singaporeans as a whole. Minister for Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin summed it up best when he said that the PAP is politically stupid. In other words, if the electorate wanted all their CPF back, or if the electorate wanted lower COEs or even no National Service, the PAP should just give it to them. This way, the so-called money hungry PAP Minister can be assured of at least another 2 or 3 terms and another $15 million to $20 million in salaries.

So why does the PAP not do this? It is simply because Singapore (as a country) can get away with such popularist actions for the next few years without much consequences. The problems will however eventually develop for which the next generation of Singaporeans must pay the price.

As many PAP ministers have repeatedly mentioned, they entered politics to build a country for themselves, their children and their children's children. Hence, while taking the popularist route is the easy thing to do, it is not the right thing to do. It therefore remains to be seen if the PAP can balance the pressures of "now" politics with the need for a "future" need. If the PAP fails to do this, our children and our children's children will suffer.