Singapore Democrats
26 Feb 07
Dr Chee Soon Juan was found guilty of attempting to leave Singapore without permission today. He was fined $4,000 or 3 weeks imprisonment in default.
Dr Chee will appeal the decision and the judge has given a stay of execution pending the outcome of the appeal.
The matter involved the SDP secretary-general applying for permission to attend the World Movement for Democracy conference held in Turkey in April 2006.
As a bankrupt, Dr Chee had to apply for permission from the Official Assignee (OA) every time he wanted to leave the country. He was made a bankrupt when he failed to pay Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Goh Chok Tong $500,000 in a lawsuit the two former prime ministers took against him in 2001.
When he went to the airport on 1 April 2006, Dr Chee was stopped by Immigration officials and had his passport seized. He was subsequently charged.
During the trial before District Judge Aedit Abdullah, the following were established:
Fact 1: The OA's office admitted that even on the day that Dr Chee was due to leave for Turkey, it was still considering his travel application.
Fact 2: The Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority acknowledged that there was no way Dr Chee could have found out about the status of his application other than to present himself at the airport departure gate.
Fact 3: Dr Chee received the OA's rejection letter only on 13 April 06, two weeks after he was due to travel.
Verdict: Guilty.
Applications To Travel:
Apr 06
World Movement for Democracy (WMD) 4th Assembly
Istanbul, Turkey
Sponsors: WMD
REJECTED
Apr 06
Free Expression in Asian Cyberspace: A Conference of Asian Bloggers, Podcasters and Online News Providers
Manila, Philippines
Sponsors: Southeast Asian Press Alliance
REJECTED
June 06
Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) & Alliance for Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Annual Meeting
Pasay City, Philippines
Sponsors: CALD
REJECTED
Sep 06
Meeting of the International Steering Committee of the NGO Process of the Community of Democracies
New York City, US
Sponsors: World Forum for Democratization in Asia
REJECTED
Sep 06
Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Executive Committee Meeting
Taipei, Taiwan
Sponsors: CALD
REJECTED
Sep 06
Book Launch of Dr Chee's ‘Political Myths of Singapore’
Gothenburg, Sweden
Sponsors: Swedish International Liberal Center
REJECTED
Oct 06
International Civil Society Forum for Democracy
Doha, Qatar
Sponsors: Qatar Government
REJECTED
Nov 06
Liberal International Congress
Marrakesh, Morocco
Sponsors: CALD
REJECTED
Jan 07
Community of Democracies ISC Meeting & the Asia Regional Roundtable
Taipei, Taiwan
Sponsors: Taiwan Foundation for Democracy
REJECTED
Feb 07
Political Party Management and Development Workshop
Jakarta, Indonesia
Sponsors: CALD
REJECTED
Mar 07
Working Group Meeting of the Community of Democracies
Rome, Italy
Sponsors: Italy Government
REJECTED
Mar 07
Travel with family to Taiwan to see ailing father-in-law
Sponsors: Relatives
REJECTED
What a travesty of justice! It really solidly proof that Singapore Judiciary is a JOKE, if not downright CORRUPT.
ReplyDeleteImagine this. There is a rule that states you are not allowed to leave your house. A policeman is guarding your door. You go to the door and ask the policeman can you go out. He said no and arrest you for attempting to leave? So asking if one can leave the house now is considered guilty. What kind of justice is that.
Now if you broke the Window, behind the back of the policeman, not asked for permission, and got caught doing so. Now at least a case can be made that you a guilty.
Chee did not disguise himself, use false passport or tried to sneak across the border. So how can he be found guilty?
I think it's now time for Singaporean to wake up to these injustices and stop pretending to support a corrupt judiciary.
But knowing all you kiasu and kiasi Singaporean, I really hope you continue to suffer under PAP. My message to Dr Chee, don't bother helping all these ungrateful people!
Sometimes (and I would argue, most of the time, in Singapore's case), people need to be reminded that such things can happen to them, as opposed to other people, in order for them to wake up.
ReplyDeleteSo, how about helping to highlight the insider's info of how the police treated ordinary citizens?
It is a sad fact...this case...
ReplyDeletebut do not think that nobody is watching and listening....what is happening...we all do....and the world too....
It is not that people are ungrateful....they are just scared and ignorant ...In time.....the people will realise their folly...
and the PAP government will regret their way of ruling as well....
MLK....
What a shame to all the judges and the lawyers who are called to bar. Singapore Justice system is unjust. Singapore judges practiced injustice. Singapore courts are but Kangaroo courts.... so much for first world country.... laughing my pants off!
ReplyDeleteFor those blind govt agents and pro PAP bloggers... you guys are a sad bunch who still support such a pathetic regime!
ReplyDeleteI hope you guys will be ashame to recite the "pledge"
"...To build a democratic society,
based on justice and equality...
so as to achieve happiness.."
what a lot of bullshit is that!
I simply don't understand why he's not allowed to even visit his ailing father at taiwan with his family. Imagine your parents is ill and you're not able to visit them coz of the travel restrictions. How would you feel and how would the people restricting the travel arrangement feel? Do they even feel a tiney weney bit of guilty? Do they even have a conscience? I hope they have their retribution someday and soon......
ReplyDeletewhen they can promote a wowo king to a genaral (BG),so can they promote animals to be judges!
ReplyDelete