PM, MM Lee goes to High Court for Chee hearing today

The following were extracted from Straits Times, Prime Pg 3, written by Sue-Ann Chia

"The Prime Minister and Minster Mentor are expected to go on the stand in a High Court hearing that starts today.

The three-day hearing is to assess the damage Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan, his sister and the SDP will have to pay for defaming Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew...."


About the case

Before the 2006 General Election, the SDP newsletter printed an article on the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) saga and drew parallels between how the charity and the Government were run.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew sued Dr Chee Soon Juan and the party's leadership for repeating remarks alleging that they were corrupt and had covered up wrongdoings at the NKF.

Six SDP central executive committee members apologised buy not Dr Chee and his sister Chee Siok Chin.

In June 2006, the High Court ruled that the SDP had defamed PM Lee and MM Lee. Three months alter, the Chees were also found to have defamed the Lees.

Protest in front of Parliament (Video)

Quite an uncommon sight to see this, but heck, it is also uncommon for a man to escape a Detention Center. Anyway, someone posted this video up in YouTube, you can see commotion that is created right at the near end of the clip.

I think I would like to know is, was this protest/demonstration allowed/legal? I did read their cause for the protest, and I think they are just voicing hidden sentiments Singaporeans have with their leaders and the country. I didn't know about this until today from a few bloggers who posted it online.

In the midst of this, I was looking across the causeway (the news over there I mean), of how elections(people power!) can change the country. I guess over there people are fed up with the rising costs and discrimination that are plaguing their lives. And they want change.

Over in USA, they seem to voice the same sentiment, they want change. But in a different sense. People there I think are also fed up with their leaders, with people losing jobs and their love ones in wars, and their country, some say are already in recession.

Now when I look in Singapore, I wonder if people want change. Or are we not brave enough to make that change? Or do we just leave it with the government? Sometimes it is frustrating to just sit there and let live. I wonder if our leaders really do hear the people or are we just money makers for them. Yes money makers, we are still a resource aren't we? But I guess our status has been lowered(probably diminished) since our jobs are easily taken up by 'foreign talent'. Who are also contributing to the country.

And now we have a wanted man on the loose. Yes, wanted not MISSING! No one is missing him, we just want him caught. When I saw the poster of him in the MRT Station, and the headlines is MISSING, I just find it incorrect. Why not put WANTED! Then at least it is more attractive. It would be nice to add a bounty for his head or something. I mean Singaporeans, ehem!, people love money. Wouldn't it be a nice incentive?

So what do we have here in Singapore.

1) Job Security?

No pension, jobs can be easily taken up by foreigners. And we have to keep on working till we are old. Don't forget we won't be able to withdraw our CPF till we are much much older :)


2) Personal Safety/Security?

We have a dangerous man on the loose. Are we safe? Ironically, in this case, the name Selamat doesn't sound selamat to me. :P


Well this I leave it up to you to decide. Elections coming up in a few years time, meanwhile keep a look out for the elusive limping man.