BBC News: Obama to receive Singapore plea

[sgnewsalte]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7841485.stm

Obama to receive Singapore plea

The leader of a Singapore opposition party has posted a video message asking for US President Obama's support.

Chee Soon Juan, secretary general of the Singapore Democratic Party, posted his "message to President Obama" on the video sharing website YouTube.

Mr Chee said he hopes that the US "will pay more attention to the human rights abuses of the Singapore government".

Mr Chee has been jailed several times and faces multiple charges of defying local protest laws and other offences.

His Youtube message began with congratulations to Mr Obama, describing his inauguration as "an occasion of great moment".

He reminded the US president of his words on International Human Rights Day in December 2008, when he had aligned the US with "men and women around the world who struggle for the rights to speak their minds, choose their leaders and be treated with dignity and respect".

'Clever repression'

Mr Chee then spoke of the many men and women around Asia suffering in that struggle, notably Burmese opposition icon Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under house arrest.

Mr Chee expressed the hope that with Mr Obama in charge, it could not be "repression as usual" in Burma, and that "urgent change must come" to the country ruled by a military junta.

In Singapore, Mr Chee claimed, repression was exercised through the "clever use" of terms such as rule of law and good governance "to cover up what is effectively a dictatorship".

"How else do we describe a government prohibits public speech and peaceful assembly controls media, detains citizens without trial and manipulates elections?" he said.

He expressed the hope that Mr Obama might "take positive steps to help Singapore join the community of democracies."

"Under your leadership I look forward to a world that is freer, more democratic and more just," said Mr Chee.

Economic concerns

Mr Chee's YouTube message includes pictures apparently of poor Singaporeans living in cardboard boxes - an allusion to growing economic distress in a state that has made impressive economic success a key plank of its appeal at the ballot box.

The Singapore government has announced a new low in the level of economic performance expected this year - a contraction of between 2% and 5%.

Singapore President SR Nathan sent his own congratulatory message to Mr Obama in which he expressed the hope that the US would provide new economic leadership.

Mr Nathan noted the close ties between Singapore and the US which he described as longstanding, close, multifaceted and versatile.

The Straits Times newspaper in Singapore carried a brief report about Mr Chee's message without comment on Wednesday.

In the past the government has dismissed complaints about restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly as without substance.

A park is designated as a space for free speech in Singapore; outside that area, gatherings of more than five people need official permission.

Mr Chee is one of the few Singaporeans who have publicly spoken against Singapore's People's Action Party, which has ruled since 1959.

Singapore's leaders say tough laws against dissent and other political activity are necessary to ensure the stability which has helped the city-state achieve economic success.

========================================

Today latest noon update at Singapore News Alternative

Singapore may weaken currency to tackle recession - Guardian.co.uk, 21 Jan 2009, Reuters
Temasek's PT Bank Danamon taps banks for issue-sources - Reuters, 21 Jan 2009, Michael Flaherty and Harry Suhartono
Singapore Economy May Fall by Record, Spurring Public Spending - Bloomberg.com, 21 Jan 2009, Shamim Adam and Chen Shiyin
Global conditions force Singapore to revise economic forecast - International Herald Tribune, 21 Jan 2009, Bettina Wassener
Singapore president congratulates Obama on inauguration - Xinhua, 21 Jan 2009
Singapore: Brunei Prince Visits Singapore's Military Institute - Mysinchew.com, 21 Jan 2009
Dissident urges Obama to push Singapore on rights - Taiwan News, 21 Jan 2009, The Associated Press
Temasek chief drops into London - Financial Times, 21 Jan 2009
Singapore DBS's $2.7 bln rights issue oversubscribed - Reuters, 21 Jan 2009, Saeed Azhar
Singapore debates legalizing payment to voluntary organ donors - Asia Sentinel, 21 Jan 2009, Ben Bland
Obama to receive Singapore plea - BBC News, 21 Jan 2009
Singapore launches Sukuk to tap investors in the Gulf - Saudi Gazette, 22 Jan 2009, Ramesh Balan
New Zealand, Singapore conduct exercise - UPI.com, 21 Jan 2009
Singapore economy to shrink in 2009 - CNN.com, 21 Jan 2009
Singapore set for extraordinary budget: newspaper -AFP

 

[tonychat]

That is why i say Dr Chee is smart.

 

[Char_Azn]

He knows he is a total idiot when it comes to politics. Having thrown away both the reputation of SDP and the support they once enjoyed, he now hopes some Ang Moh Country will step in and rule the country for us. What a loser. Instead of looking at why he managed to lose public support, he begs outsiders to try to put him on the throne. What a great leader he would make

 

[samurai1110]

U THINK BARRACK OBAMA IS STUPID? PLEASE TELL THAT 'CHEAT' NOT TO INSULT THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD TODAY!

 

[leetahbar]

He knows he is a total idiot when it comes to politics. Having thrown away both the reputation of SDP and the support they once enjoyed, he now hopes some Ang Moh Country will step in and rule the country for us. What a loser. Instead of looking at why he managed to lose public support, he begs outsiders to try to put him on the throne. What a great leader he would make

his words hide a uncalled mischief to taunt a new USA president to get even with singapore for his own personal vendetta and petty resentment. he doesn't consider peasants' welfare at stake nor does he has any solution to help the economy.

he's only good at exploiting a bad situation to use to his advantage. his ultimate aim is to destroy singapore.

 

[samurai1110]

One suay bugger in Pak Kia Tree not enough? Then another one pops up!

 

[guavatree]

his words hide a uncalled mischief to taunt a new USA president to get even with singapore for his own personal vendetta and petty resentment..

old fart faggot fake monk PAP dog Bob Sim Kheng Hwee, temple thief, swindler, fraudster, cheat, con-artist, liar, hypocrite, deceiver, all rolled into one!

you're not only a cyber-prostitute but a rabid barking PAP dog!

all because of your PERSONAL VENDETTA!!!

 

[guavatree]

One suay bugger in Pak Kia Tree not enough? Then another one pops up!

old fart faggot fake monk PAP dog Bob Sim Kheng Hwee, temple thief, swindler, fraudster, cheat, con-artist, liar, deceiver, all rolled into one!

your non-stop lanjiao sucking and your karchng kena poked non-stop

is sebei suay and jiatlat!!!

LOL

 

[samurai1110]

U are the suayest bugger in the whole universe!

 

[guavatree]

U are the suayest bugger in the whole universe!

lanjiao sucking karchng poking old fart faggot fake monk PAP dog Bob Sim Kheng Hwee, temple thief, swindler, fraudster, cheat, con-artist, liar, hypocrite, deceiver, all rolled into one!

sibei suay and jaitlat!!!

 

[samurai1110]

Your mother in giving birth to u must have been cursing & swearing in pain u poor suay bugger.

 

[guavatree]

Your mother in giving birth to u must have been cursing & swearing in pain u poor suay bugger.

lanjiao sucking karchng poking old fart faggot fake monk PAP dog Bob Sim Kheng Hwee,

temple thief, swindler, fraudster, cheat, con-artist, liar, hypocrite, deceiver, all rolled into one!

stop bashing your father!!!

stop calling your mother LAU-CHEE-BYE!!!

stop stealing, swindling, conning, cheating, deceiving!!!

 

[cleareyes]

That is why i say Dr Chee is smart.

Chee is doing what PAP had been doing all along, and that is manipulation of the image in the media. but PAP does it through the general mass media in singapore like the newspapers and TV, Chee is attempting to do so through the internet.

But chee is playing a very dangerous game that could leave him with no friends at the end of it. What happen if Obama realised that what Chee is saying is not true? OBama is not stupid. He does have advisors that would give him information more in details and if those details doesnt fit into what Chee is showing, would Obama ever bother with Chee again?

On top of that, Obama is just new on the job, its normal for him to pay attention to everything and anything that comes his way. Is Singapore a priority? Would the US administration alienate her allies?

I find the video too dramatic and works just like how in the west, in fact very much the way Bush had tried to used the media to convince the american public that going to war against Iraq is noble and a proper gesture. if the whole thing backfires, Chee could lost more than he ever have.

 

[Alu862]

US has not criticised SG at all

 

[glock]

Barak Obama got a LOT of things on his plate now , he dont have the time to deal with some small politician in some small country lar

financial system collapse ,russia play punk , car company no money , he no time to sleep already , where go time to come change singapore ?

 

[sgczar]

Great Comic (think Great Leader Kim) Chee Soon Juan should send his Comic "YoungerYap" to the White House as his shadow ambassador to plead for his case; that LKY has stolen what is rightfully his throne and ask Obama to get it back for him.

Send in the Marines to Oxley Rise abd Rochalie Drive!

 

[Alu862]

Please you want SG to turn out like Iraq?

 

[The_Latest_H]

Please you want SG to turn out like Iraq?

Obama won't invade Singapore, rest assured. He's not a cowboy like Bush; he comes from Hawaii, and worked in Chicago. He's way different.

 

[DearestGodlikeWarlord]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7841485.stm

Obama to receive Singapore plea

The leader of a Singapore opposition party has posted a video message asking for US President Obama's support.

Chee Soon Juan, secretary general of the Singapore Democratic Party, posted his "message to President Obama" on the video sharing website YouTube.

Mr Chee said he hopes that the US "will pay more attention to the human rights abuses of the Singapore government".

Mr Chee has been jailed several times and faces multiple charges of defying local protest laws and other offences.

His Youtube message began with congratulations to Mr Obama, describing his inauguration as "an occasion of great moment".

He reminded the US president of his words on International Human Rights Day in December 2008, when he had aligned the US with "men and women around the world who struggle for the rights to speak their minds, choose their leaders and be treated with dignity and respect".

'Clever repression'

Mr Chee then spoke of the many men and women around Asia suffering in that struggle, notably Burmese opposition icon Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under house arrest.

Mr Chee expressed the hope that with Mr Obama in charge, it could not be "repression as usual" in Burma, and that "urgent change must come" to the country ruled by a military junta.

In Singapore, Mr Chee claimed, repression was exercised through the "clever use" of terms such as rule of law and good governance "to cover up what is effectively a dictatorship".

"How else do we describe a government prohibits public speech and peaceful assembly controls media, detains citizens without trial and manipulates elections?" he said.

He expressed the hope that Mr Obama might "take positive steps to help Singapore join the community of democracies."

"Under your leadership I look forward to a world that is freer, more democratic and more just," said Mr Chee.

Economic concerns

Mr Chee's YouTube message includes pictures apparently of poor Singaporeans living in cardboard boxes - an allusion to growing economic distress in a state that has made impressive economic success a key plank of its appeal at the ballot box.

The Singapore government has announced a new low in the level of economic performance expected this year - a contraction of between 2% and 5%.

Singapore President SR Nathan sent his own congratulatory message to Mr Obama in which he expressed the hope that the US would provide new economic leadership.

Mr Nathan noted the close ties between Singapore and the US which he described as longstanding, close, multifaceted and versatile.

The Straits Times newspaper in Singapore carried a brief report about Mr Chee's message without comment on Wednesday.

In the past the government has dismissed complaints about restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly as without substance.

A park is designated as a space for free speech in Singapore; outside that area, gatherings of more than five people need official permission.

Mr Chee is one of the few Singaporeans who have publicly spoken against Singapore's People's Action Party, which has ruled since 1959.

Singapore's leaders say tough laws against dissent and other political activity are necessary to ensure the stability which has helped the city-state achieve economic success.

========================================

Today latest noon update at Singapore News Alternative

Singapore may weaken currency to tackle recession - Guardian.co.uk, 21 Jan 2009, Reuters
Temasek's PT Bank Danamon taps banks for issue-sources - Reuters, 21 Jan 2009, Michael Flaherty and Harry Suhartono
Singapore Economy May Fall by Record, Spurring Public Spending - Bloomberg.com, 21 Jan 2009, Shamim Adam and Chen Shiyin
Global conditions force Singapore to revise economic forecast - International Herald Tribune, 21 Jan 2009, Bettina Wassener
Singapore president congratulates Obama on inauguration - Xinhua, 21 Jan 2009
Singapore: Brunei Prince Visits Singapore's Military Institute - Mysinchew.com, 21 Jan 2009
Dissident urges Obama to push Singapore on rights - Taiwan News, 21 Jan 2009, The Associated Press
Temasek chief drops into London - Financial Times, 21 Jan 2009
Singapore DBS's $2.7 bln rights issue oversubscribed - Reuters, 21 Jan 2009, Saeed Azhar
Singapore debates legalizing payment to voluntary organ donors - Asia Sentinel, 21 Jan 2009, Ben Bland
Obama to receive Singapore plea - BBC News, 21 Jan 2009
Singapore launches Sukuk to tap investors in the Gulf - Saudi Gazette, 22 Jan 2009, Ramesh Balan
New Zealand, Singapore conduct exercise - UPI.com, 21 Jan 2009
Singapore economy to shrink in 2009 - CNN.com, 21 Jan 2009
Singapore set for extraordinary budget: newspaper -AFP

The billion dollar question is: would Obama CARE? Especially words that came from such a doubtful character?

Guess you all know the answer to that.

 

[Alu862]

I rather have Obama care about the Middle East.