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Public anger against Rony Tan fast turning to PAP for its double standards in handlin

makapaaa

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<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Public anger against Rony Tan fast turning to PAP for its double standards in handling the case

February 11, 2010 by admin
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http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/02/11/public-anger-against-rony-tan-fast-turning-to-pap-for-its-double-standards-in-handling-the-case/


Written by Our Correspondent
Public anger against Lighthouse Evangelism Senior Pastor Rony Tan for making disparaging remarks about Buddhism and Taoism is fast turning to the PAP for its apparent double standards in the handling of the case as compared to the arrest of three Chinese youths a week earlier for posting racist remarks on Facebook.
Pastor Rony Tan was called up by the Internal Security Department (ISD) for questioning on Monday after his comments were made public via three video clips uploaded on his website and Youtube.
While many Singaporeans have expressed a willingness to forgive him and move on, they still feel he was let off too easily with only a slap on his wrist including prominent new media researcher Tan Tarn How who opined that further action should be taken against Pastor Tan as he is an opinion leader in an interview with TODAY.
His views were shared by an irate Singaporean Melvin Tay, who wrote a letter to the Straits Times Forum today asking why the authorities have refrained from prosecuting Pastor Tan.
He contrasted the differential treatments dished out by the police in the two closely related cases:
“The racist remarks seem to have been made in the heat of the moment as a discussion turned into an online spat between teenagers. In contrast, Pastor Tan’s interview of the two believers was a prepared delivery that took place on stage to engage and entertain an auditorium of believers, presumably as part of a sharing that lasted many minutes.
The teenagers were relatively unknown to people except in their immediate social network circles and hence the reach of their wrongful words was limited. Pastor Tan, on the other hand, is a mature adult, a senior pastor with thousands of church followers, and the videos were widely circulated by his church, and later by others via the Internet.”
Though police reports were lodged against Pastor Rony Tan, the police did not take any action on him contrary to what was said by Commander of Bedok Police Division and Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Teo Chun Ching after the prompt arrests of the three polytechnic students:
“Police take a very stern view of acts that could threaten the social harmony in Singapore. The Internet may be a convenient medium to express one’s views but members of the public should bear in mind that they are no less accountable for their actions online.”
[Source: Straits Times, 4 February 2010]
Like many Singaporeans, Mr Tan wonders why Pastor Rony Tan was let off with only a warning when his words carry far greater weight and impact than that of the three teenagers:
“It is also clear from the videos that Pastor Tan and the people he interviewed had numerous erroneous views of Buddhism and Taoism that promoted ignorance and harm to inter-religious understanding. So, notwithstanding his apology, adequate action should be taken against Pastor Tan for exposing the religious fault lines of the nation.”
Angry readers post comments on Temasek Review, lampooning the authorities for their blatant double-standards in the application of the law.
Zelphon felt the root cause of the problem lies in the system:
“Double Standards is RAMPANT la..Every Singaporean Male who served NS will know about the term “WHITE HORSE”…The term refers to sons of parents with certain connections and political influences… and these sons get preferential treatment in SAF during the NS period…No matter how lousy and poor attitude they are…They still get a comfy life in NS and get posted to OCS and become F*&KED UP Officers in the end…This should be pretty familiar to many of our ministers..In this Rony Tan’s case, it is also similar…This pastor is a rich guy and probably have certain connections (Since his church has 12,000 members)…That is why we are seeing distinct double standards being displayed here…Wong Kan Seng Mas Selamat Incident … Deja Vu?”
Jeff is obviously unhappy with the way the authorities have handled the two cases:
“Lets put it in this way…3 youths of race A, said disparaging remarks about race B on the internet (On the internet, if you don’t like it, you can choose not to read it). They were arrested, released on bail and are awaiting charges. 1 older person of religion A, said disparaging remarks of religion B in a public setting to thousands of listeners (who btw, are ‘forced’ to listen, in that they cannot shut their ears while inside). He was ‘invited’ for questioning with the ISD and let off with a warning. The 3 youths will have a permanent police record, regardless if they are charged or not. The older person will not. The 3 youths were jailed. The older person was not.
The 3 youths may have acted irresponsibly, but they are youths after all. Their statements were posted online, probably, without pre-meditation. The older person’s speech was pre-planned, probably rehearsed, with accompanying witnesses/interviewees to maximise impact. The 3 youths posted the comments anonymously, giving little credibility to their statements. The older person has an established reputation, and his statement bears the full weight of this reputation. If we take all this into account. Which party would have made a greater impression? The 3 youths or the older person? Shouldn’t the result have been opposite? The 3 youths should have been ‘invited’ for questioning and let off with a warning. Whilst this older person should have been arrested and charged for sedition. And I finish with ‘regardless of race, language or religion’”
saycheese is ready to move on, but is still perturbed by the shifting OB markers:
“I am a Buddhist/Taoist, who have never placed much store in what a Christian pastor says. He has apologised, good let’s move on. Even if he insists that what he said was the truth and refuses to apologise, so what? Surely he should be entitled to his beliefs and have the right to articulate them to his congregation, however disagreeable others may find them to be. However, the perception that the same one set of Laws are applied differently to lesser mortals is the conundrum, what with ill-defined and shifting OB markers.”
As one commentator puts it succinctly, Singaporeans will be more ready to move on from his unfortunate episode had not for the arrests of the three teenagers which occurred only a week earlier.
Despite DPM Wong Kan Seng’s assertions that being called up by ISD is not “less serious” than being arrested by the police, there is a pervasive perception among the public whether rightly or wrongly that there is double standard in the application of the law in Singapore – that the rich, powerful, influential and well connected elites will be able to get away with a lighter punishment as compared to ordinary Singaporeans.
The public backlash against the PAP is building up and should the Attorney-General Chambers decide to charge the three youths later, it will probably translate to the loss of some votes for it in the looming election ahead. With public sentiments against it, the PAP can ill afford to alienate young voters further whose opinions are becoming increasingly important and influential.
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Alfrescian
Loyal
Re: Public anger against Rony Tan fast turning to PAP for its double standards in han

rubbish, rony tan case and the three teenages is totally different case. It is public knowledge that all christians dun believe in Buddha, Kuan Yin bla bla bla, Pastor Rony Tan are simply reminding his members. As for the teenages, it is publicly known that we cannot pass unacknowledged remarks on other race.
 

eErotica69

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
Re: Public anger against Rony Tan fast turning to PAP for its double standards in han

rubbish, rony tan case and the three teenages is totally different case. It is public knowledge that all christians dun believe in Buddha, Kuan Yin bla bla bla, Pastor Rony Tan are simply reminding his members. As for the teenages, it is publicly known that we cannot pass unacknowledged remarks on other race.

If what you say is true then why Rony apologise?

He might as well ask ISD to F spider?

:o
 

singveld

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Re: Public anger against Rony Tan fast turning to PAP for its double standards in han

rony, ex monk and ex nun should all be thrown in prison , if the 3 teenagers are held responsible. PAP like to bully small people and afraid of rich people.
 

mscitw

Alfrescian
Loyal
Re: Public anger against Rony Tan fast turning to PAP for its double standards in han

Peasant Mervin did not realise many ISD goons go sunday services.

second, peasant ronny poked fun at Buddhists and taoists, not moslems. to x'tians, moslems are only misguided while e pagans (buddhists and taoists) are the real foes.
 
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