<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>3:59 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>38051.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt><TABLE class="cf gJ" cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD class="gF gK"><TABLE class="cf gJ" cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=UszGxc><TD class=gG>from</TD><TD class=gL colSpan=2>
BT Kojak <[email protected]></TD></TR><TR><TD class=gG colSpan=2>to</TD><TD class=gL colSpan=2>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=gG colSpan=2>date</TD><TD class=gL colSpan=2>
Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 6:58 PM</TD></TR><TR><TD class=gG colSpan=2>subject</TD><TD class=gL colSpan=2>
Concerns of netizens who criticise YOG</TD></TR><TR><TD class=gG colSpan=2>mailed-by</TD><TD class=gL colSpan=2>
gmail.com</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TD class=gH>hide details 6:58 PM (0 minutes ago)
</TD><TD class="gH cY8xve"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Dear Vivian,
We're concerned by the recent arrest of Mr Malik for “inciting violence and public disorder” by the Singapore police (Bedok Division).
Mr Malik has posted comments on facebook criticising the organizing and management of YOG. According to the New Paper, Mr Malik posted a comment saying that the mismanagement of YOG, including budget overrun and a host of other issues showed that it was time to “burn” you, the minister and the PAP. The "incriminating" sentence was immediately followed by the next line asking the people to rally together and vote the PAP out. These are the original sentences who got Mr Malik into trouble with the police:
"This is the time for us to burn Vivian Balakrishnan and the PAP!!!!! Rally together and vote them out!!!"
Now, you can physically burn a person but how are you supposed to burn a political party? Moving to the next sentence, "Rally together and vote them out!!!", he was clearly qualifying his previous "burn" remark by asking the citizens to vote PAP out. Hence, reading both sentences together, the meaning of the word "burn" becomes clearer. It's referring to burning as in the idiom, "burning someone at the stake". Figuratively, it means "to chastise or denounce someone severely or excessively" ([URL="http://idioms/"]http://idioms.<!--<WBR />-->thefreedictionary.com/burn+at+<!--<WBR />-->the+stake[/URL]).
In short, it's clear to most people who have passed their GCE 'O' level English that Mr Malik was speaking metaphorically when he used the word "burn". I'm puzzled that the person who reported this to the police cannot understand simple English?
More critically to the netizens, we know that from the papers, you weren't the one who reported Mr Malik to the police. According to a Temasek Review article, Mr Malik said that it was actually the investigating officer (IO) who lodged the report leading to his arrest. If this is true, how can the police arrest any law-abiding citizens as they like just because the police doesn't like the language one uses or the way one criticises the Govt's handling of events like the YOG? Malik's arrest is on flimsy ground at best, given the lack of concrete evidence that a crime has been truly committed.
The Singapore police must be held accountable to its actions. It is not above the law. The primary duty of law-enforcers is to protect citizens from criminals and NOT shield the PAP leaders from criticisms. Today, it is Mr Malik who was arrested for criticizing the Govt. Tomorrow, it may happen to someone else!
Also, even if Mr Malik is not charged in court in the end, his personal life and work will surely be affected by the ongoing police investigations which sometimes take years to conclude, if ever. Who will compensate Mr Malik and his family for their emotional trauma, anguish and suffering? What if Mr Malik is sacked by his boss because of his arrest? And if he is subsequently not charged in court, will the Singapore police compensate him for the loss of income? In addition to the sufferings of Mr Malik, this arrest has damaged Singapore’s international reputation as well and reinforced Singapore's image as a repressive police state intolerant of the slightest criticism and dissent.
In short, I think the Singapore police and the Govt should explain the arrest of Mr Malik to the public so as to calm public concerns. Looking forward to your reply.
Yours sincerely,
Kojakbt
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=gG colSpan=2>cc</TD><TD class=gL colSpan=2>
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=gG colSpan=2>date</TD><TD class=gL colSpan=2>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TD class=gH>hide details 6:58 PM (0 minutes ago)
</TD><TD class="gH cY8xve"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Dear Vivian,
We're concerned by the recent arrest of Mr Malik for “inciting violence and public disorder” by the Singapore police (Bedok Division).
Mr Malik has posted comments on facebook criticising the organizing and management of YOG. According to the New Paper, Mr Malik posted a comment saying that the mismanagement of YOG, including budget overrun and a host of other issues showed that it was time to “burn” you, the minister and the PAP. The "incriminating" sentence was immediately followed by the next line asking the people to rally together and vote the PAP out. These are the original sentences who got Mr Malik into trouble with the police:
"This is the time for us to burn Vivian Balakrishnan and the PAP!!!!! Rally together and vote them out!!!"
Now, you can physically burn a person but how are you supposed to burn a political party? Moving to the next sentence, "Rally together and vote them out!!!", he was clearly qualifying his previous "burn" remark by asking the citizens to vote PAP out. Hence, reading both sentences together, the meaning of the word "burn" becomes clearer. It's referring to burning as in the idiom, "burning someone at the stake". Figuratively, it means "to chastise or denounce someone severely or excessively" ([URL="http://idioms/"]http://idioms.<!--<WBR />-->thefreedictionary.com/burn+at+<!--<WBR />-->the+stake[/URL]).
In short, it's clear to most people who have passed their GCE 'O' level English that Mr Malik was speaking metaphorically when he used the word "burn". I'm puzzled that the person who reported this to the police cannot understand simple English?
More critically to the netizens, we know that from the papers, you weren't the one who reported Mr Malik to the police. According to a Temasek Review article, Mr Malik said that it was actually the investigating officer (IO) who lodged the report leading to his arrest. If this is true, how can the police arrest any law-abiding citizens as they like just because the police doesn't like the language one uses or the way one criticises the Govt's handling of events like the YOG? Malik's arrest is on flimsy ground at best, given the lack of concrete evidence that a crime has been truly committed.
The Singapore police must be held accountable to its actions. It is not above the law. The primary duty of law-enforcers is to protect citizens from criminals and NOT shield the PAP leaders from criticisms. Today, it is Mr Malik who was arrested for criticizing the Govt. Tomorrow, it may happen to someone else!
Also, even if Mr Malik is not charged in court in the end, his personal life and work will surely be affected by the ongoing police investigations which sometimes take years to conclude, if ever. Who will compensate Mr Malik and his family for their emotional trauma, anguish and suffering? What if Mr Malik is sacked by his boss because of his arrest? And if he is subsequently not charged in court, will the Singapore police compensate him for the loss of income? In addition to the sufferings of Mr Malik, this arrest has damaged Singapore’s international reputation as well and reinforced Singapore's image as a repressive police state intolerant of the slightest criticism and dissent.
In short, I think the Singapore police and the Govt should explain the arrest of Mr Malik to the public so as to calm public concerns. Looking forward to your reply.
Yours sincerely,
Kojakbt
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
but could be brass
