Breaking News: 400 copies of Singapore Sucks! (book) detained at Customs

[Singa Crew]

I just heard from a book importer today that all 400 copies of Singapore Sucks! (the book) have been detained at Customs.

The original plan was for DHL Global to deliver the books to a book importer in Singapore and I was supposed to go pick them up this morning. Many of you may already know that my book launch falls on this Sunday.

Anyway, this morning, when I called the book importer, I was informed that my books have been detained at Customs. They have been submitted by DHL to the Controller of Undesirable Publications for vetting and according to the freight forwarder, it doesn't look like a permit will be granted today.

This is highly unusual. The book importer told me they did not have such problems with other political titles from Malaysia (such as Teo Soh Lung's Beyond a Blue Gate), and that this is the first time they have had books detained at Customs.

This is also especially strange because copies of Singapore Sucks! are, even as we speak, being sold openly in Kinokuniya outlets. Sales have been going on for months now. Why detain my books now? Just two days before my book launch? Why the need to apply for a permit at this time? You mean to say, sales have been going on at Kinokuniya since September WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL?

More updates to follow.

For those of you who have already committed to buying my books at the launch, I am sorry. The launch will still go on and we will take down orders. When or if the books finally come in, you will be notified.

 

[RonRon]

must be some low ranking ICA officers kay kiang never read the news and try to score points to impress his supervisor.

 

[Leongsam]

I just heard from a book importer today that all 400 copies of Singapore Sucks! (the book) have been detained at Customs.

Who bothers about physical copies in this day and age.

Put it on the Amazon Kindle store and you'll earn your commission from my USD9.95 the very day it's available.

 

[Singa Crew]

must be some low ranking ICA officers kay kiang never read the news and try to score points to impress his supervisor.

I think so too. Either that or some ground level staff at DHL saw the boxes (with Singapore Sucks! written on them) and panicked and called the relevant authorities...

 

[halsey02]

Told you, they will classify it as pornographic. In this space & age, you should have made your sales on itunes or amazon that people can download on their devices & read.

 

[myo539]

Will there be free bananas during the launch? Can invite Noose to report on the event.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/embed/fVnwzhm9M2g [/video]

 

[fukyuman]

I think you are being paranoid. But then we all are after living Singapore for so long.

Any imports of books have to be cleared by CUP or Controller of Undesirable Publications, any forwarder including DHL must comply. They will declare this in their import clearance and wait for approval. It would be unusual for CUP to ask to view the books in person, as any books of the same title cleared before are automatically approved. Maybe some person is not happy being made a caricature and made a complaint. This happened before when they threw an old ang moh into jail.

I think so too. Either that or some ground level staff at DHL saw the boxes (with Singapore Sucks! written on them) and panicked and called the relevant authorities...

 

[Raynall]

Like that how?!? We can't buy the books in Singapore ever?!?

If there are not going to be books, then what do you plan to do for your launch now?

 

[sense]

Could you let us know the book's table of content.

 

[Singa Crew]

Latest Update: DHL Global, our freight forwarder, has already received permit from Singapore Customs. However, I was informed that separate approval needs to be obtained from the Controller of Undesirable Publications before my books can be allowed into Singapore.

PS: Singapore Customs is under ICA, and the Controller is under MDA.

 

[Glowrry]

When William Gibson wrote that Singapore is a "Disneyland with a death penalty", he unsuccessful to understand that each US states that has a Disneyland also had the death punishment.

 

[scroobal]

You are placing too much importance on yourself and your book. Both your book and you would have classified benign long time ago. All political activities are closely monitored. You have been associated with SDP for a long time and people writing books with a slant for the opposition is quite rare. Though I have never read about your book, I heard about it from those who have seen it and there is nothing that is going to upset anyone, shake anything or cause the loss of sleep.

Courier companies are doing the the routine thing, so is customs, MDA. Basically you have not done your homework and have only yourself to blame. As this is your first time, you have an excuse.

But I can assure you this forum has more revealing and more damaging content each week than what your book according to people who have seen it. Starting alarmist threads to give the impression that the book is closely watched etc is purely hubris.

Latest Update: DHL Global, our freight forwarder, has already received permit from Singapore Customs. However, I was informed that separate approval needs to be obtained from the Controller of Undesirable Publications before my books can be allowed into Singapore.

PS: Singapore Customs is under ICA, and the Controller is under MDA.

 

[GoldenDragon]

But I can assure you this forum has more revealing and more damaging content each week than what your book according to people who have seen it.

Very true. And some of us are held back from disclosing more revealing and damaging details for obvious reasons.

 

[po2wq]

... Starting alarmist threads to give the impression that the book is closely watched etc is purely hubris.

aiya ... sel koyok oni, mah! ... dat samburger oso never make noise ...

 

[scroobal]

Yes, and there are days when you are trying your very best to hold back.

Very true. And some of us are held back from disclosing more revealing and damaging details for obvious reasons.

 

[singveld]

i already said no one buy books anymore, put in ibook or kindle, pap will LL.

 

[Singa Crew]

Okay, I think it is highly unlikely that my books will be released for the launch tomorrow, I will have to make some changes. The launch will still go on. I will still be there to talk about my book, answer questions and if you have already bought copies from Kinokuniya, I will be happy to sign them. But since we will not have books to sell, the launch will start at 2pm and end at 3pm.

Oh yeah, we will also be taking orders for the books. Once the books are released by the Controller of Undesirable Publications, we will notify you and arrange for a time and place for you to pick them up.

Also, Facebook screwed up. Even though I saved event date as 11th of December, it shows up as "Saturday" in the date column at the top of the event page. Ignore that. The correct date is Sunday, 11th of December and the event will begin at 2pm tomorrow and end at 3pm.

 

[halsey02]

Why don't you publish it on line? like this : http://www.mphdigital.my/navigation/our-ebooks ?

 

[johnny333]

Okay, I think it is highly unlikely that my books will be released for the launch tomorrow, I will have to make some changes. The launch will still go on. I will still be there to talk about my book, answer questions and if you have already bought copies from Kinokuniya, I will be happy to sign them. But since we will not have books to sell, the launch will start at 2pm and end at 3pm.

......

Make it sound mysterious as to why the book is "delayed" by the authrities . You'll probably attract more orders that way

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

Obviously the authorities got to read an advance copy of your books and decided to screw you up just to make a point. That is why Teo soh lung and her buddy-buddies hold book launches in JB. They know such tactics will be employed.

You are obviously not arrested because there's nothing in it that scandalizes the judiciary or defames someone high up in some explicit & embarrassing manner. They are just trying to break your distribution so that you're likely to give up, or just to see how far you'll go before you deplete your resources.

Putting on kindle as Leongsam suggests will still make it available to younger gen but will not make it available to others who are not as tech savvy. That's what the authorities want -- to limit your circulation and gag you indirectly. Welcome to Singapore.

Okay, I think it is highly unlikely that my books will be released for the launch tomorrow, I will have to make some changes. The launch will still go on. I will still be there to talk about my book, answer questions and if you have already bought copies from Kinokuniya, I will be happy to sign them. But since we will not have books to sell, the launch will start at 2pm and end at 3pm.

Oh yeah, we will also be taking orders for the books. Once the books are released by the Controller of Undesirable Publications, we will notify you and arrange for a time and place for you to pick them up.

Also, Facebook screwed up. Even though I saved event date as 11th of December, it shows up as "Saturday" in the date column at the top of the event page. Ignore that. The correct date is Sunday, 11th of December and the event will begin at 2pm tomorrow and end at 3pm.