PAP- its a matter of principle not to comment on WikiLeaks

[†††††]

Leaks won't affect ties, says MFA
Singapore's relationship with neighbours 'built on strong foundations'
By Rachel Lin

THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) indicated yesterday that Singapore's relations with its neighbours will not be affected by the controversial WikiLeaks disclosures, as these relations are robust and built on strong foundations.

Responding to media queries, an MFA spokesman said: 'Singapore has longstanding, robust and positive relationships with all countries in our region.

'These relationships are built on a strong foundation of shared interests and mutually beneficial cooperation in many areas. Countries base relationships on their own interests, and not hearsay or gossip.'

The leaks in question contain barbed comments allegedly made by three senior Singapore diplomats. They took aim at several countries in the region and were released to the Australian media by the whistle-blowing website.

Echoing remarks made by Foreign Minister George Yeo on Sunday, the MFA spokesman noted that the Australian press reports were 'based on American interpretations of confidential conversations'.

They 'did not provide the full context and, in some cases, were from third party sources', the MFA spokesman said.

Mr Yeo had said that the leaked comments were taken out of context and were interpretations of views reflected by United States officials.

On Sunday, two Australian newspapers - The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age - published comments allegedly made by senior MFA officials Peter Ho, Bilahari Kausikan and Tommy Koh.

The comments had been taken from US State Department cables, which were released to Australia's Fairfax Media group by WikiLeaks.

Those cables apparently describe separate meetings in 2008 and last year between the three MFA diplomats and senior US officials.

Mr Ho and Mr Kausikan were both MFA permanent secretaries at the time, and Mr Kausikan still holds that position. Professor Koh is an ambassador-at-large.

Mr Ho, Mr Kausikan and Prof Koh were quoted criticising the leaders of Malaysia, Japan and other countries in the region.

In a September meeting last year, Prof Koh is said to have described Japan as a 'big fat loser' in the context of improving ties between China and Asean.

According to The Age, the leaked cable quotes Prof Koh as saying that Japan's decline in stature in the region was due to 'stupidity, bad leadership and lack of vision'.

Mr Kausikan allegedly told US Deputy Secretary of Defence for East Asia David Sedney during a meeting in September 2008 - six months after the Barisan Nasional ruling coalition lost its two-thirds majority in the Malaysian Parliament - that 'the situation in neighbouring Malaysia is confused and dangerous'.

He reportedly said that it was fuelled by a 'distinct possibility of racial conflict' that could see ethnic Chinese 'flee' Malaysia and 'overwhelm' Singapore.

When asked if he expected that subsequent WikiLeaks reports would contain critical comments about Singapore by other countries, the MFA spokesman said: 'There are many thousands of leaked cables from US diplomatic missions all around our region. I would be very surprised if Singapore were not the subject of at least some of them.'

He staunchly refused, as a matter of principle, to comment on the content of the leaks.

'Singapore takes leaks of confidential information very seriously and would not tolerate it here,' he added.

[email protected]

 

[myo539]

Anyone who dares to "leak' here in Singapore will be charged under the Official Secret Act (OSA) and freight to Changi Resort.

One wonders what other "secrets" the Americans or Australians could have allowed to be leaked. It could be the work of the CIA, who knows? Obama and Osama - both have five letters and three syllables.

 

[Char_Azn]

Found some interesting statements on this issue

But in a statement yesterday, Mr Anwar's lawyers claimed that in their own checks, no such references were made by WikiLeaks, which released the cables exclusively to Australia's Fairfax Media group. Mr Sankara Nair said he had also contacted the Singapore High Commission to ascertain if Mr Lee and Singapore officials had indeed made the statements.

http://forum.channelnewsasia.com/viewtopic.php?t=390423&postdays=0&postorder=desc

"I have consulted my colleague Karpal Singh with regards to this matter. For
one thing, we feel that it is actually subjudice to carry these stories as
it could affect the integrity of the trial. If you look at it properly, the
story was published via a third party. In law, this is hearsay until it is
factually proven otherwise," the lawyer told The Malaysian Insider.

http://lite.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/anwars-lawyer-say-

"With WikiLeaks' revelation, it looks like Singapore is undermining its
relationship with Malaysia. Whether or not the leaks are entirely accurate,
what remains clear is that Singapore's relationship with Malaysia remains
dubious, to say the least.

Doesn't anyone else find it strange that something like this was not released on Wikileaks official website but was instead release "exclusively" to an Australian media group and not a group from the SEA region. Dubious source + Dubious Articles = Major political crisis.

3 cheers for the freedom to Bullshit

 

[johnny333]

Shock, bewilderment, amazement: PAP got principles

 

[saratogas]

Gergie is saying that Sinkapore leakers are very professional, we may not like the person but we mantain good PR skills to work with them.

We label and gossip about them so that we can continue to work with them without pissed off.

How true in a working environment, we look at the larger objective and benefits, faked small talks and PR sessions.

 

[@rmadill0]

Anyone who dares to "leak' here in Singapore will be charged under the Official Secret Act (OSA) and freight to Changi Resort.

One wonders what other "secrets" the Americans or Australians could have allowed to be leaked. It could be the work of the CIA, who knows? Obama and Osama - both have five letters and three syllables.

You might have a point here. USA is in a mess. If you cannot pull yourself out of the mess, pulling others into it makes sense.

 

[johnny333]

You might have a point here. USA is in a mess. If you cannot pull yourself out of the mess, pulling others into it makes sense.

Have you forgotten our own little mess with Temasek?

One in-experienced housewife caused trouble for the ex-PM of LOS & lost billions & billions of tax payers money. How much is a state secret

 

[exSINgaporean]

"'Singapore takes leaks of confidential information very seriously and would not tolerate it here,' he added."

What about when Lee Kuan Yew exposed the contents of "personal and confidential letters" of Dr. Maharthir to him when he was on the issues of water agreements about 3 years ago? Wasn't that also consider "leaking" in the same sense?

 

[Ramseth]

Shock, bewilderment, amazement: PAP got principles

Reminds me of an old Yes, Minister episode in which Perm-Sec. Sir Humphrey Abbleby said, it's the policy not to have any policy on this matter. Perhaps in this case, it's PAP principle not to have any principle.

 

[johnny333]

Reminds me of an old Yes, Minister episode in which Perm-Sec. Sir Humphrey Abbleby said, it's the policy not to have any policy on this matter. Perhaps in this case, it's PAP principle not to have any principle.

Long, long ago when Brit programing was common on radio in Spore, I used to listen to "Men from the Ministry". It was something like "Yes, Mr Minister"

Who would have thought that the Spore's gov't would turn out to be a joke, much of what goes on in the PAP remind me of a plots from one of these programs

 

[halsey02]

Reminds me of an old Yes, Minister episode in which Perm-Sec. Sir Humphrey Abbleby said, it's the policy not to have any policy on this matter. Perhaps in this case, it's PAP principle not to have any principle.

Principle not to have any principles....