Singapore Dissident!

[Ah Hai]

Wednesday, December 3, 2008
The Singapore Straits Times Report "Nair retracts apologies" Wednesday December 3rd 2008
Ladies and Gentlemen,

An appeal for donations
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you are aware, my forced stay in Singapore for 6 months by the Singapore government by their holding my passport and preventing me to travel, has resulted in severe financial burden to me. I have to get my law practice back into swing and get all other small matters taken care of. I am therefore badly in need of financial assistance. Your donations at this time will be greatly appreciated.If you can donate, please send the moneys through Western Union which is available at any post office in Singapore. Same applies to those in other countries.Any amount will be appreciated.When sending the funds, please email me the reference number to [email protected]. Payable to "Gopalan Nair". Many thanks Gopalan Nair

 

[Ah Hai]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The state controlled press, the Straits Times of Singapore of Dec 3, 2008, reports that 2 days after I reached American soil, I retracted any apology given in the Lee Kuan Yew controlled courts of Singapore, Court 15, Subordinate Courts, before Judge Leslie Chew. This is correct. All apologies are retracted. So is my undertaking not to write my mind on the dire lack of human rights, the shameful lack of independence of the courts and everything else that need to be addressed. I shall also be reposting the blog posts which I was required to remove of Sept 1 and Sept 6 of 2008 in this blog.

The newspaper report states that the Singapore attorney general is looking into my turn about. My advice to the Attorney General of Singapore is to do all he can and whatever he wants. But the sad fact, for him that is, I am on American soil. America is a free country.

If he determined to make a fool of himself, extradition is what he has to consider. To do that, Singapore has to apply through diplomatic channels to register the claim in a US court. A US court would then have to consider whether what I did would be a violation of the laws in Singapore. In considering the question, they will have to look into the question whether what I did would tantamount to a crime in the United States. It is here that Singapore would find themselves in a bind. America is a country of laws. And their judges are proud to defend those laws. Not like Singapore which uses its courts as their principle tool to silence dissent. There is no way that Singapore can even hope to succeed. But I would be glad if they tried, which would make me an even greater celebrity than what they already have made me.

Dictatorships all over the world use dirty tactics to stay in power for as long as they can. I say for as long as they can, because sooner or later they all collapse. One of these tactics is to unjustly condemn a man and then repeat that lie over and over, hoping that the lie will eventually take root.

The state controlled press report mentions that "In writing about the case on his blog, he insulted High Court judge Belinda Ang". This is a deliberate lie. This refers to my arrest and conviction for what I had written in my blog post Thursday, May 29, 2008 Singapore. Judge Belinda Ang's Kangaroo Court. The material words which the Singapore Court relied on to convicted me before Justice Kan Ting Chiu of the Supreme Court were

"The judge Belinda Ang was throughout prostituting herself during the entire proceedings, by being nothing more than an employee of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and his son and carrying out their orders. There was murder, the rule of law being the repeated victim."

The state controlled Singapore court with its complaint judge Kan Ting Chiu found that the words "prostituting herself during the entire proceedings", among other parts of the blog post, was an insult to her.

This is completely untrue. According to Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, other than the usual meaning of a prostitute being a street walker, it also means

a) to devote to corrupt or unworthy purposes, debase, e.g. to prostitute one's talents b) devoted to corrupt purposes c) a person who (as a writer or painter) who deliberately debases himself or his talents (as for money).

And this was exactly what Judge Belinda Ang did during those 3 days of May 26 to May 28, 2008 in the High Court of Singapore. Reading the blog you will see that my accusation is factually correct. She unashamedly, throughout the proceedings permitted her position of a judge to be used for Lee Kuan Yew and his son's advantage; not the not the interests of the law.

And I repeat those words I said again here. She undoubtedly "prostituted herself in her position as a judge" to serve the interests of Lee Kuan Yew and his son, the Prime Minister of Singapore.

Therefore there was no insult at all. My claim is factually correct. I am lawyer and I choose my words with discretion. But whatever the truth was, did not matter to Lee Kuan Yew's agent, Judge Kan Ting Chiu that day. He finds that I insulted the judge when there was no insult at all. And now, the state controlled Straits Times picks it up and repeats that defamation again and again hoping that people will believe that I had in fact insulted the judge.

 

[Ah Hai]

And then another lie. The report reads " Separately in July he behaved in a disorderly fashion and hurled expletives at police officers". I did no such thing.

I was accosted by 5 men claiming to be police officers who demanded to see my particulars in Little India on the July 4th 2008 at about 8.30 pm in Race Course Road, Little India, Singapore. Not knowing who they were I refused. And a little later, I was arrested. Of course, I being Gopalan Nair, and a former Singapore opposition politician, they pressed charges and came up with anything they can imagine which included an accusation that I called one of the police officers "A Malay bastard" and that I was gesticulating with my hands.

The trial took 18 days. The police officers in an orchestrated fashion recited the same lies. In fact they could have said anything they wanted, even that I had tried to kill them and the Lee controlled court of Judge James Leong presiding, Court 16, Subordinate Court would have accepted it.

But the judge James Leong having accepted the lies, and convicts me of disorderly behavior and hurling expletives at police officers, the Singapore state controlled paper picks it up and repeats that lie again and again, hoping that somehow the Singapore public would believe that I am a man who goes around hurling abuses at police officers and being disorderly in public.

The Singapore government in their eagerness to tarnish the name of anyone that criticizes them is going about this entirely the wrong way. They should realize that they have chosen the wrong man to defame and punish. I denied both the Judge Belinda Ang case and the disorderly case, which took 18 days and 8 days of trial. They spent a great deal of money and effort. Perhaps they hoped that I would have pleaded guilty and left the country without much fuss. But my refusal to admit the charges and go to trial meant my staying in Singapore for 6 months, which was much more damaging to them.

During this long stay in Singapore, I was able to associate with Dr. Chee Soon Juan and members and activists of their party, understand the political situation in Singapore better and even assist in their political activism.

It increased awareness of may case among the Singapore public, where strangers used to come up to me and shake my hand with appreciation, my picture being on that paper almost everyday. My case received international attention with world bodies calling for my release and for the charges to be dropped. This blog overnight began to be read by almost everyone in Singapore who knew English.

All this, was not in the interests of Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore. If they had given it some thought and found out the sort of person I was, they would have done well to deport me the very day I wrote the blog. But they seem adamant to continue in their folly by their continued interest in me with their newspaper report of Dec 3, 2008.

If someone could advice the Singapore authorities and their state controlled newspaper that it is best to leave me alone for their own good. Of course I hope they would continue with this vendetta against me, because it greatly serves my purpose of exposing this regime of Lee Kuan Yew in Singapore.

The report also states "Mr. Nair was admonished, warned against launching future attacks on the judiciary and had to pay the AGC (Singapore Attorney General) $5,000.00 in legal costs."

While I was in prison, a day before my release, Francis Lim, police officer from Central Police Station came to prison and gave me a letter from the Attorney General demanding that I pay about $6,000 (inclusive of their expenses) by November 26, 2008, which was the date of my banishment from Singapore Changi Airport. You would like to know that I have not paid this and I don't intend to pay this ever. And they made no attempt to stop me from leaving!

By way of parenthesis, you would like to know that in an earlier politically motivated case which partly resulted in my leaving Singapore in 1991 for good, another contempt of court case, an election rally speech in Bukit Merah where I stood as a Workers Party candidate in that by election, I was ordered to pay the Attorney General $13,000.00 which I have refused to pay, as I was already in the US by the time they worked out the figures. And not just that, about that time, I was suspended from practicing as a lawyer in Singapore for 2 years for writing a letter to the then Attorney General demanding that he explain himself on a matter relating to the late JB Jeyaretnam, another shameful political action, in which they worked out my liability for costs in access of, believe it or not, $150,000.00. I have not paid that either.

 

[Ah Hai]

No other government would sit idly by when an individual mocks their court orders in this fashion. They would take every effort to go after that individual no matter where he was. But you see, the Singapore government is not any other country. All their bravado and their arrogance is only in that small island where they rule by intimidating people by abusing the law. They leave alone anyone outside their borders because they know that they are a morally bankrupt country which will not command the respect of anyone else. Not to say that Singaporeans respect their government or their legal system, but because of fear there is nothing they can do in that prison which is called Singapore.

I would have been satisfied even if a single human being had read this. But with the wide coverage that this blog gets, and with the grapevine, Singapore will hear this and will hear my side of the story.

Many thanks.

Gopalan Nair
39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Suite A1
Fremont, CA 94538, USA
Tel: 510 657 6107
Fax: 510 657 6914
Email: [email protected]
Blog: http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/

Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to [email protected] And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.

Posted by Gopalan Nair at 5:06 PM

 

[Ah Hai]

Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Adventure
Ladies and Gentlemen,

An appeal for donations
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you are aware, my forced stay in Singapore for 6 months by the Singapore government by their holding my passport and preventing me to travel, has resulted in severe financial burden to me. I have to get my law practice back into swing and get all other small matters taken care of. I am therefore badly in need of financial assistance. Your donations at this time will be greatly appreciated.If you can donate, please send the moneys through Western Union which is available at any post office in Singapore. Same applies to those in other countries.Any amount will be appreciated.When sending the funds, please email me the reference number to [email protected]. Payable to "Gopalan Nair". Many thanks
Gopalan Nair



Ladies and Gentlemen,

Can I share some stirring words with you. I had lunch today in Chinese restaurant and the fortune cookie had this

"the only people who never fail are those who never try"

While in Queenstown Prison Singapore for 60 days for writing a blog post in this blog, which the Lee Kuan Yew government calls insulting a judge, I read a novel, which name I forget which had this, of which I am guilty,

"self delusion is a pre-condition for any act of consequence".

Someone who died rounding Cape Horn in the BOC Round the World Single Handed Yacht Race, his name was Harry something, which I forget. He was washed off his deck trying to round the Horn in the Roaring Forties in 70 knot gale. His life line saftey harness snapped. The Chilean Navy tried to search but had to leave because they could not operate at night. The Australian navy came later. Harry was never found. His words,

"life should be one long adventure, or it is nothing"

When I look back at my ordeal in Singapore, it is true that at the time it was hard. But now when I revisit it in my mind, it was one of the greatest adventures of my life. And to come back to shambles in California and having to pick up from where I started, is another adventure.

You can say this again, my life has been a roller coaster. But you know what, I wouldn't have it any other way. I agree entirely with Harry.

Gopalan Nair
39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Suite A1
Fremont, CA 94538, USA
Tel: 510 657 6107
Fax: 510 657 6914
Email: [email protected]
Blog: http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/

Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to [email protected] And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.
Posted by Gopalan Nair at 10:52 PM

 

[Ah Hai]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Can I share some stirring words with you. I had lunch today in Chinese restaurant and the fortune cookie had this

"the only people who never fail are those who never try"

While in Queenstown Prison Singapore for 60 days for writing a blog post in this blog, which the Lee Kuan Yew government calls insulting a judge, I read a novel, which name I forget which had this, of which I am guilty,

"self delusion is a pre-condition for any act of consequence".

Someone who died rounding Cape Horn in the BOC Round the World Single Handed Yacht Race, his name was Harry something, which I forget. He was washed off his deck trying to round the Horn in the Roaring Forties in 70 knot gale. His life line saftey harness snapped. The Chilean Navy tried to search but had to leave because they could not operate at night. The Australian navy came later. Harry was never found. His words,

"life should be one long adventure, or it is nothing"

When I look back at my ordeal in Singapore, it is true that at the time it was hard. But now when I revisit it in my mind, it was one of the greatest adventures of my life. And to come back to shambles in California and having to pick up from where I started, is another adventure.

You can say this again, my life has been a roller coaster. But you know what, I wouldn't have it any other way. I agree entirely with Harry.

Gopalan Nair
39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Suite A1
Fremont, CA 94538, USA
Tel: 510 657 6107
Fax: 510 657 6914
Email: [email protected]
Blog: http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/

Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to [email protected] And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.
Posted by Gopalan Nair at 10:52 PM 8 comments
The continued need to expose this dictatorship.
Ladies and Gentlemen,

An appeal for donations
Ladies and Gentlemen,

As you are aware, my forced stay in Singapore for 6 months by the Singapore government by their holding my passport and preventing me to travel, has resulted in severe financial burden to me. I have to get my law practice back into swing and get all other small matters taken care of. I am therefore badly in need of financial assistance. Your donations at this time will be greatly appreciated.If you can donate, please send the moneys through Western Union which is available at any post office in Singapore. Same applies to those in other countries.Any amount will be appreciated.When sending the funds, please email me the reference number to [email protected]. Payable to "Gopalan Nair".

Many thanks Gopalan Nair

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Every Singaporean, yes, I mean every Singaporean, knows that Lee Kuan Yew rules through fear. That the payment he calls salary of $3.7 million is in fact corruption by another word. The same applies to all his Ministers who are thieves just like him. Everyone knows that he may in fact be taking even more money without telling it. Everyone knows that if any Singaporean were to question him about it, he will be destroyed. And everyone knows that the method he uses for the destruction is his courts. And we all know that his courts are his tools to silence and destroy his opponents. Everyone knows this. He too knows that everyone knows this.

So my purpose is to say it as it is. Call a rat a rat, and not rabbit, because it is not. So saying this publicly; publicly calling his judges corrupt is necessary. As with more people publicly saying this, his control weakens, because he only stays in power as long as the people believe in him. When, as is now, the entire public treat him and his courts as a pretence, and the office holders pretenders; consequences damaging follow.

Singaporeans leave the country. Those remaining in Singapore live in a unhealthy state of self denial. It makes them lose interest in what they do, lose interest in their jobs, and they worry about their futures. Their children's futures.

So my purpose is quite clear. I say these things publicly. Yes it is true, I now write from the protection of the United States, but that makes no difference to my object. Which is to publicly expose this dictatorship. Which I believe is bad for Singapore, it's people and it's children.

Needless to say, you in Singapore face unimaginable hardships if you were to write like me. You will suffer the wrath of the dictator. But I say this. What choice do you have? Would you rather continue to live in silence and in fear and shame, or would you rather stand up like a man, and live like a man.

I have made my choice as you can see. I live in America. But it is you that has to make this choice as to how you live. I may be criticized for saying that living like a man is preferable anytime to living like sheep, because I live in America, but I cant help it. This is where I am.

I have not said much more than you already know, but it still has to be said. And I said it.

Gopalan Nair
39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Suite A1
Fremont, CA 94538, USA
Tel: 510 657 6107
Fax: 510 657 6914
Email: [email protected]
Blog: http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/

Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to [email protected] And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.
Posted by Gopalan Nair at 10:17 PM

 

[Ah Hai]

Sunday, November 30, 2008
Justice Judith Prakash. Another Kangaroo Judge.
Ladies and Gentlemen,

After my imprisonment in Singapore for 60 days, thanks to Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew, I was let off for 5 days so as to get my things in order before I was banished forever from Singapore on November 26, 2008. The 5 days enabled me to attend the case in the High Court, generally known as the Kangaroo Court T shirt case. On Monday 24, 2008, the Singapore judge Justice Judith Prakash found all 3 defendants guilty as expected. The sentence was to be delivered on Thursday November 27, 2008 which I could not observe, as I was deported on Wednesday the 26th. There was jail terms for all 3 Defendants, with Mr. Tan having to serve 15 days, and the other 2 Isrizal and Shafi, 7 days each. In addition they were each ordered to pay the government costs of $5,000.00 each.

The facts are that these 3 wore T shirts with the image of a kangaroo in judicial robes, (which means that the court is not impartial but corrupt), to the hearing before Justice Belinda Ang, (which by the way, was the same judge whom I was accused of insulting, resulting in my 3 month imprisonment), from May 26 to May 28 2008 at the Supreme Court Singapore. As you will recall, the case before Judge Ang was for assessment of damages that Dr. Chee and company have to pay Lee Kuan Yew in his successful defamation action brought by Lee against Dr. Chee. For wearing these T shirts to Judge Ang’s court, Justice Prakash found them all guilty and the resultant severe penalties.

None of the 3 deserved any punishment. The Singapore constitution allows every citizen the freedom of speech and expression. And wearing T shirts with the image of a Kangaroo is the exercise of that freedom which the Constitution guarantees. Secondly it cannot amount to a contempt to say something which is true.

Everyone knows that the Singapore judiciary is complaint to the wishes of Lee Kuan Yew and his government as can be seen from the series of politically motivated court cases from as early as the 1960s up till today against the late JB Jeyaretnam to Dr. Chee Soon Juan, Lee's victims, who have been imprisoned and impoverished. How then can saying something that is true, that the Singapore courts are kangaroo courts and Singapore judges’ kangaroo judges, amount to contempt of court?

Justice Judith Prakash just as all her fellow judges in Singapore has once again disgraced herself, her office as judge and let down Singapore by shamelessly doing the bidding of her master Lee Kuan Yew by convicting and punishing these brave young men, who are in fact the pride of Singapore. They unlike the masses who live in fear of Lee Kuan Yew, had the courage to speak the truth and do what had to be done, which is to stand up to their convictions and say what has to be said, come what may.

These politically motivated cases, intended to break the will of good upstanding men and women of Singapore is difficult to endure. The jail terms of 15 days and 7 days is bad enough but endurable. But what is crippling is not the jail terms. It is the court costs of $5,000.00 (about US$4,000.00) each that they have to pay. This is a huge crippling amount of money for an average wage earner in Singapore.

If they find the money to pay, it will be a lesson to them never to criticize Lee's courts again. On the other hand, if they cannot pay, they would be made bankrupt, which means they cannot travel outside Singapore and the requirement that they report each month to the Bankruptcy office to explain their financial standing. Either way it is a debilitating crippling punishment, intended to send a clear signal both to them and everyone else that they should not, ever, dare to criticize Lee Kuan Yew or his courts, regardless of whatever dishonesty he or his courts perpetrate.

And if they ever do what they did again, they will be sent to jail for longer periods as well as suffer even heavier financial burdens.

With Lee Kuan Yew abusing the law courts to stay in power, and with unprincipled shameless judges such as Judith Prakash, what then is the answer to make this fascist dictatorship of Lee Kuan Yew accountable to the people? It is easy for me to say from the safety of the United States that more and more Singaporeans should pick up the courage that these 3 admirable young patriots had, and do what is right.

But that is easier said than done. During my 6 months forced stay in Singapore, with my passport held by Singapore police, waiting for my trial 4 months later, I had ample time to meet many Singaporeans. Each time I told Singaporeans to stand up to this dictatorship by open protest, I have always been faced with the same expected answer.

They tell me that they are all ready to speak up against the dictatorship, but they cannot because they would lose their jobs and their children would suffer; they and their families would be ruined financially at the hands of these corrupt compliant judges. This, you would well see, is a hopeless situation, forcing them to suffer in silence in fear of Lee Kuan Yew and his courts.

I do not have an answer to this question. Dr. Chee Soon Juan and his sister Chee Siok Chin have paid gravely to stand up to their convictions. Dr. Chee has lost everything and so has his sister. In history, there are only a handful of men like Dr. Chee, like Nelson Mandela and Gandhi. It is unreasonable to expect ordinary people to be martyrs like them.

Lee Kuan Yew as you can see has a grip on power. And his principle instrument to stay in power is his law courts with his compliant judges which he uses to destroy and demolish his opponents, by bending and breaking the law outright when necessary.

But I know certain truths painful about the country. One is that it is imposable to change this government through parliamentary elections. The Singapore Parliament is nothing more than a rubber stamp. As Christopher Lingle, the NUS professor who was charged with contempt of court and managed to flee the country had written, "Singapore is a one party Leninist state".

Although outwardly Lee Kuan Yew portrays Singapore as a Parliamentary democracy, nothing is further from the truth. It is Lee Kuan Yew, the 86 year old dictator who controls everything, the courts, the trade unions, the media, everything. Parliament has no powers at all. Members of Parliament are mere stooges who would be quite prepared to say 2 plus 2 is 27 or any number Lee Kuan Yew wishes, to take the example of Orwell's 1984.

Therefore the only way to change this government and to make it accountable is for people to be able to say that 2 and 2 are 4 and not any other number of Lee's choosing. And the way to do this is not through the elections of 2010, the next general elections in Singapore, but through peaceful protest on the street.

But peaceful protest means unbearable hardship to the protestors. It would mean 15 days jail and $5,000.00 court costs liability, if not more, to take the recent example of the Kangaroo T shirt case.

With the crippling and terminal nature of these punishments, who among Singaporeans will be prepared to embark on this dangerous adventure? George Orwell in 1984, said correctly that the proletariat will not be the ones with the daring to do it; because they do not understand the need for such abstract values such as freedom and democracy, being content with the hope of getting a an extra $1,000.00 in pay or a better TV set. Neither will members of the elite with the knowledge of such values as freedom; the Inner or Outer Party in his novel 1984, be prepared for that sacrifice, as they would have too much to lose financially.

The answer lies with the young men and women with a tertiary education, citizens who are armed with a good English education, who know that they can succeed anywhere in the world, who would care 2 hoots to what Lee Kuan Yew can do to them. If they protest and get arrested, so what? They can take the next flight out to Australia where they will be welcomed with open arms, where they and their families can live as free men and women, able to speak their minds without fear of Lee Kuan Yew or anyone else.

 

[Ah Hai]

It is these young men and women who should take courage and join Dr. Chee Soon Juan and his noble fight to seek freedom for his people. And I call upon them not to remain silent and do what is right and noble. Stand up for Singapore and stand up for the truth. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Leaving Singapore for a life overseas is itself the greatest form of protest against Lee Kuan Yew and his politically motivated courts. In effect, by leaving, you are telling Lee Kuan Yew that you are not prepared to live as a slave in his island and the ability to live a free man is worth more than any amount of riches that corrupt judges such as Judge Judith Prakash can earn in her entire lifetime by playing second fiddle to Lee Kuan Yew, her master.

At present, I understand that as many as 1000 Singaporeans emigrate from Singapore’s shores annually for countries such as Australia. I have read that Lee Kuan Yew himself has gone to cities such as Melbourne begging overseas Singaporeans to return with no success whatsoever. Why should they return to a fear infested island where the slightest criticism of Lee or his courts will result in crippling financial ruin! By the way, I understand that the numbers of those leaving has been steadily increasing above 1000 each year!

As for the likes of Justice Judith Prakash, she will continue to live her life in luxury for the dirty work she does to please her master Lee Kuan Yew. Her income for being an agent for Lee Kuan Yew to silence and destroy his critics, I understand is several millions of dollars a year.

But I am sure that she loathes each time that she has to look at herself in the mirror, because what she sees is the face of a dishonorable unconscionable and unprincipled human being who lives by prostituting her position as a judge to please her master Lee Kuan Yew, who finds no other way to stay in power other than abusing the law to silence his critics.

May I say the same thing that I said about her fellow Singapore judge, Judge Belinda Ang, which landed me in prison for 2 months? Judge Judith Prakash of the Supreme Court Singapore has prostituted herself in her capacity as a judge hearing the Kangaroo T shirt case on November 24, 2008 by being nothing more than an employee of Lee Kuan Yew and his son, whom he appointed Prime Minister. By her actions in sending these young men to prison and making them pay crippling court costs of $5,000.00 each, she has shamelessly disgraced herself, her office of a judge, disgraced the Singapore Constitution and disgraced Singapore.

Shame on you, woman.

Gopalan Nair
39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Suite A1
Fremont, CA 94538, USA
Tel: 510 657 6107
Fax: 510 657 6914 Email: [email protected]
Blog: http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/

Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to [email protected] And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.

Posted by Gopalan Nair at 8:46 PM

 

[Ah Hai]

28 Comments

Jimmy said...

All the best Gopalan. Despite the few idiotic comments left on this blog, anyone with half a brain knows what you say to be true, they are just too afraid of speaking out publicly, so major kudos to you for having the balls to do so. Singapore is full of people who do nothing but complain about Lee Kuan Yew and the PAP, but they do nothing about it as long as they still have whatever scraps the PAP throws to them. it is true what they say, you get the government you deserve.

Mon Dec 01, 01:33:00 AM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Please show some care to make california and america more democratic before you throw filth on Singapore you turn coat

Mon Dec 01, 02:38:00 AM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What BALLS yhou talking about, Jim boy?!!!

This Indian had gone to Singapore looking for trouble and hopefully a face-to-face confrontation with Lee Kuan Yew
- although I doubt very much he would even have the balls to look the old man in the eye, the very reason he fled here in the first place -
for reasons best known to himself, eg. floundering legal career, needed something to spice up resume, etc, etc.


He had BALLS because he had on him a piece of document we Americans gave him - yes, the US passport!

And with that, he thought no one dared lay a finger on him! Wohahahaha, what juvenile naivette.

He forgets he is only as American as his passport, that is, so long as you aren't white, Anglo-Saxon, don't dream of even calling yourself AMERICAN anywhere you go you'll be laughed off the land!

Certainly, don't even dream of the US government coming to your rescue.

Just as South Asian British passportholders shouldn't think they're safe anywhere on the Indian subcontinent - those guys gonna just fry you for lunch!

Sad, huh, Goppie? made you think if that great escape to the USA was such a wonderful move after all, eh? Hee hee hee

Mon Dec 01, 05:57:00 AM PST
Anonymous Rey said...

Great to have you back, Gopalan. Looking forward to more entries from you.

Cheers,
Rey

Mon Dec 01, 07:07:00 AM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Kudos to you! How brave you are. My wife is a S'pore ex-pat, who left because of the over-controlling mind numbing atmosphere. I'm a US citizen.

I agree that the masses there are not going to do anything. They are too well taken care of. We visit every year or so and her family is very much used to the way the place is. I know a former colleague of Chee. He agrees with Chee, but doesn't want to lose everything for a principle.

Lee is clever. The rights abuses are not as big as the neighboring countries. Most people in S'pore are well treated, provided they follow the law.

How do you get public opinion world-wide to change? This is not SA. There is "racial equality." My fear is that S'pore is going to survive the way it is, just as Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, etc. do what they do.

Again, kudos to you. But what are we supposed to do? Amnesty International? UN? What??

Mon Dec 01, 07:41:00 AM PST
Blogger a beautiful lie said...

Bravo uncle nair! You're back!

Mon Dec 01, 08:30:00 AM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love seeing the posts by the people in S'pore who are stupid, typing a message like its an SMS. You folks-- are IDIOTs. Go back to your HDB flats and piss away your money to the Lee family. No wonder you need a huge foreign talent pool as well as foreign labor to get anything done.

Nair, you really deserve extra credit for dealing with the proles.

Mon Dec 01, 04:20:00 PM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

WELL SAID MR NAIR!

BUT WE ARE ALL UNDER THE LEE REGIME!

AND NOT HE HAS PUT A PACEMAKER TO LIVE FOREVER AND EVER!

GOD HELP US ALL!

EVEN A TEAM OF DRS TO ESCORT HIM-SUCH WASTEOF TAX PAYERS MONIES????

Mon Dec 01, 06:00:00 PM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So Mr Nair. You have proven not to be a man of your words. You tell the judges that you are sorry when you are not.

We Singaporeans are not what you think and say. Those you spoke too but are very few. CSJ, CSC, SP, the ex-lecturer, that lawyer who invested small money, etc etc are all in more pathetic state.

Used to sail with you in Changi. You are a changed man.

Becareful, Uncle Sam may withdraw your citizenship.

Mon Dec 01, 07:04:00 PM PST

 

[Ah Hai]

Re: 28 Comments

Gopalan Nair said...

To Anonymous who started with "So Mr. Nair"

You are right. I never intended to keep my word given to judges who are stooges of Lee Kuan Yew.

Second, the United States unlike Singapore is a country of laws. A citizenship cannot be taken away, unless it is shown that it was obtained by fraud. Unlike Singapore where Lee Kuan Yew can withdraw anyone's citizenship at his whim.

I suggest it is you who should worry about Lee revoking your citizenship, which in your case is unlikely to happen since you are all praisae for him.

As long as you remain that way, you should not have to fear. Here in the US I call call Bush or Obama anything I want without fear.

I think you don't understand that.

Gopalan Nair

Mon Dec 01, 07:18:00 PM PST
Blogger Gopalan Nair said...

To Anonymous who started with "So Mr. Nair"

And another thing. When you call men and women such as Dr. Chee and Siok Chin pathetic, perhaps you should look yourself in the mirror first. They are men and women of conscience and conviction. What are you?

Gopalan Nair

Mon Dec 01, 07:52:00 PM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You said "they protest and get arrested, so what? They can take the next flight out to Australia where they will be welcomed with open arms"

really??? so what made you lie your way out of the prison?? you are no better than the supposed evils you preach against....

Mon Dec 01, 11:47:00 PM PST
Blogger Gopalan Nair said...

Calm down. Relax. Have a glass of soda.

Tue Dec 02, 12:21:00 AM PST
Blogger Agagooga said...

Maybe you can prepare a guide for other Singaporeans who want to follow in your footsteps and relinquish Singapore citizenship, since leaving seems to be the best course of action for the dissatisfied.

Tue Dec 02, 12:31:00 AM PST
Anonymous monkeysee said...

Dear Mr. Nair,

While I share many of your views on aspects of Singapore, I now find myself really in two minds about you.

On the one hand, I applaud your efforts in objecting to the Lee regime, but on the other hand, I find my opinion of you greatly diminished by your apology and subsequent recanting of the same.

While I fully understand that the apology was given under duress, it undermines your message and highlights your lack of conviction. I do feel that you would have gained far more respect is you stood by your words regardless of the consequences.

After all, it was you who issued the challenge in Singapore, to do their worst. And when they came after you, you caved in under the slightest of pressure.

Yes, your choice to concede and apologise was certainly pragmatic. And no doubt you hold on to the adage of “he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day”. But it also speaks of shallowness and a lack of conviction. Most certainly your subsequent actions to thumb your nose and repeat your charge of “prostitution” against another Singapore judge is just crass and poor showmanship. You could have at least found a different adjective than the one you had so publically recanted.

You issued a challenge. Your bluff was called. You played your hand. You lost against a stacked deck.
That is fine. It is understandable. It speaks of a spirited and spunky defiance.

But to concede and then subsequently to sulk and pout when you are a safe distance away? That is weak, and borders on the cowardly.

I do not begrudge your right to freedom of expression. However I do feel that your actions are not so much those of a great freedom fighter, but have in fact tarnished your credibility and character.

And yet, talk is cheap, and who is to say we wouldn't all have done the same had we been in your shoes? Hence, my 2-mindedness about you.

Tue Dec 02, 01:53:00 AM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

To anon who started with " So Mr. Nair"

I am very glad that Gopalan told a white lie to leave Singapore.Tourists in Sinapore who commit crimes are given a hearing a week or two for their cases to be heard and you can guess why his hearing took a long time. Actually Gopalan you should sue the Singapore Government through their embassy for your losses.

Tue Dec 02, 02:13:00 AM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I dare you to call Bush something. if a 14 year old can be questioned by the secret service over anti Bush comments how free is your America?

Please prove your point and write Anti Bush comments Nair. Then see if the secret service will visit you. the PRCs will after your racist comment.

Tue Dec 02, 06:33:00 AM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2006/10/14/399916-teen-questioned-for-online-bush-threats

Tue Dec 02, 06:33:00 AM PST

 

[Ah Hai]

Re: 28 Comments

Anonymous said...

Dear Nair,

Glad you have left the sickening place called Singapore, where the Lee family is defacto King. Tell me which family in the world has amassed wealth and power like the Lee family? You can judge easily. The courts are just the family's protector.

Ignore all those idiotic Anonymous posts - they might be the lackeys of Lee family themselves! Shoo! Shoo!

Tue Dec 02, 06:36:00 AM PST
Anonymous SC said...

It is with tremendous relief that you now call yourself American, because I would be deeply ashamed if you were still Singaporean.

Don't you feel that it is such a terribly sad thing that you are scorned and despised by the citizens of your country of birth?

If your answer is 'no' then I ask if you truly have any identity at all.

Tue Dec 02, 08:00:00 AM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

America is where you can get shot at because of its stupid freedom to own gusn. You want freedom so much that you can be shot at in school?

And I ask again, if America is the beacon of light that Nair makes it to be, why is gay marriage banned in California? Why are there reservation camps for native American Indians? Why was the government allowed to troture people? If Nair is so agains the ISA, would he care to tell his President Bush to stop torture first?

Double Standards. Freedom Figher my foot.

Tue Dec 02, 10:23:00 AM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Most Singaporeans who are educated appreciate the effort you made. They totally understand the need you had to apologize so you could survive. You lost the battle, but not the war. Those who scorn you and despise you are the many Heartlanders who are just too ignorant to know better. It sure is easy for them to criticise you, but not to take any stand whatsoever. They are too busy buying their motorcycles, taking their trips to Bintan, etc. They are materialistic cowards, too interested on finding the best chicken rice.

Why are the so proud of Singapore? It's only been around since the 1960s. It is an autocracy. They have no sense of the melting pot traditions of the US.

Tue Dec 02, 01:08:00 PM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If we engage in peaceful protest and then get arrested then made bankrupt and get our passport impounded how do you expect us to leave singapore and go to another country?
Remember, when applying for citiizenship in other countries police certificates are required from singapore and previous arrests will surely jeopardise this.
Singaporenas are in a lose-lose situation.Only something in the scale of the recent Bangkok protests can save us.

Tue Dec 02, 03:52:00 PM PST
Blogger Gopalan Nair said...

Previous arrests for peaceful arrests will not jeopardize your ability to emigrate to the west. Only crimes of moral turpitude will do so.

As for passport, you can alwyas get the permission of the Bankruptcy office. If they don't let you do so, you can seek the asistance of the foreign government. Singapore cannot stop you from leaving because this will mean too much political baggage. It will be tantamount to being Cuba which does this.

Arrests for non violent peaceful protest will also enable you to obtain asylum in those countries.

Good luck.

Tue Dec 02, 07:12:00 PM PST
Anonymous AnnA said...

To anon that starts with "If we engage"

~~"Remember, when applying for citiizenship in other countries police certificates are required from singapore and previous arrests will surely jeopardise this" ~~

Now I see the point. I was wondering why the hell with the ever increasing and too many juvenile cases including teeny weeny things such as caught smoking.....

I have mentioned for the umpteenth times that in 20 to 30 years time, 85% Singaporean born will be known as ex-convicts or ex-criminals. There will be no more respect to Singaporean abroad due to our law that has always been convicting even the minors.

This is one of the answers then, to make sure that we will have a hard time to emigrate. Pathetic.

Tue Dec 02, 07:29:00 PM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

While nobody sympathizes with dictators, I think Mister Nair's just a wee bit optimistic to think the boys and girls in JC will make a difference in Singapore politically. Their parents didn't, nor did their parents' parents. And the same lessons are passed down, by example, from one generation to the next. No, there are no martyrs in Singapore. Quitting is the only way: the Government says it, and your own journey testifies to it. So quit, and move on.

Tue Dec 02, 08:42:00 PM PST

 

[Ah Hai]

Re: 28 Comments

Gopalan Nair said...

Beg to differ with anonymous. It is true that the parents of young Singaporeans are afraid to confront the government. Just like my parents who came from India who were only concerned to make a living away from poverty in India. But the young today are different. They have an English education. And exposed to the world through the Internet and travel. They find themselves in a position to question authority. They are unlikely to be content to merely play second fiddle.

And let us not underestimate Asians. I am told even in China, protests are almost a daily occurence althouh the government there comes down hard on them.

The fact that young people in Singapore are becoming a threat to Lee Kuan Yew is evident from his deliberatley keeping them away from any political education. Also evident is the present harsh punishments meted out to recent political activists who dared question authority.

Although many are taking the option of quitting, there can be no doubt that the young are a real threat to Lee's grip on power.

Furthermore you can see the determined and great effort that Lee's agents are taking by the numerous attacks against me in this blog. An orchestrated and planned effort to discredit me. But I put all these posts up because the people can see that it is the goverment that is engaging in theis smear campaign. Which actually hurts them more than me. If I was not a threat to them, they would not be spending time effort and expense to do this.

No, I am more optimistic than that. This government is hurting and hurting badly by their dismissive government.

The horizon looks good. Have faith.

Wed Dec 03, 01:24:00 PM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Britain and other western countries are closing their broders you racist indian

Wed Dec 03, 03:45:00 PM PST

 

[Ah Hai]

Lee Kuan Yew losing his grip on power

Friday, November 28, 2008
Lee Kuan Yew losing his grip on power
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I was in prison in Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore from Sept 20, 2008 to Nov 20, 2008 for writing a blog post criticizing Singapore's Judge Belinda Ang for acting no better than an agent of Lee Kuan Yew and his son while presiding over the assessment of damages hearing from May 26, to May 28, 2008 in the case of Lee Kuan Yew against Dr. Chee Soon Juan.

While in prison, I read the book, "All the Shah's Men" by Kinzer. An excellent book which I strongly recommend. It describes how in 1953, the British and Americans conspired to depose a lawfully elected Prime Minister of Iran, Mohammad Mossadeq because he nationalized the prize of the British in Iran, the Anglo Iranian Oil company, with the excuse that if he was not deposed and replaced with the pro West Mohammed Reza Shah, the Russians will occupy Iran.

The methods used by the American CIA are almost identical to those of Lee Kuan Yew. For instance, the Americans discredited Mossadeq by printing and publishing articles discrediting him in Iran, calling him an unbeliever, a communist and even a Jew. Then they used corrupt judges to convict anyone with sympathies for Mossadeq with false charges. People who were sympathetic to Mossadeq were dismissed from their posts. They managed to get almost everyone in the Parliament to support their policies and to condemn Mossadeq. Finally they managed to get the Shah to sign fermans, a sort of edict, ordering Mossadeq to step down, which he did, and promptly replaced by the British and American puppet, the Shah of Iran.

These tactics of 1953 Iran are almost identical to those of Lee in 2008 except that it varies in degree only. But it should be clear to anyone that such dirty tactics of 1953 Iran cannot work in modern day Singapore of 2008, for the simple reason that today, we have the Internet. In 1953, when newspapers containing these falsities against Mossadeq, that were in fact written in Washington and London appeared the next day in Tehran, appearing as if they were written there, the people had no way of knowing otherwise. Without the Internet, they believed every lie put out to them in these smear sheets. The people being illiterate and ignorant had no way to disbelieve the false convictions by the false courts convicting Mossadeq's supporters.

But Lee today still uses these same dirty tactics to stay in power. He uses his courts as a weapon to destroy his political opponents from Jeyaretnam in the 60s to Dr. Chee in 2008. Yet he demands that everyone respect the legal system under pain of imprisonment and impoverishment. This is an untenable situation for him. Every Singaporean today, unless he is blind, is well aware through the series of well publicized political cases that there is no rule of law in Singapore. Yet he demands that people not say it as it is. What is left for Lee is one thing and one thing alone. Fear. His only tool is to instill fear throughout the people to silence them.

As for the state controlled media and the press, it is exactly the same as 1953 Iran. The papers on a daily basis call Dr. Chee a liar, a cheat and what not. But today, nobody believes a thing written in the Singapore press about Lee's critics. Today they have access to he Internet. They can read outside publications which tell a completely different story about Lee's critics. At they end of the day, no one believes the state controlled press of Singapore which demonizes Lee's opponents on a daily basis. In desperation to continue singing the same tune, Lee takes the foreign press to court to shut them up. But whether they are shut up or not, in the end, the effect on Singaporeans is just the opposite. All the more they disbelieve Lee and believe that the truth lies in his victims, not with Lee.

What is left is one thing and one thing alone. Fear. Fear to criticize. Fear to complain. Fear to speak your mind. You end up being a skilled exponent of "doublespeak" of Orwell's 1984. That is to say something when you believe something else. To say that Singapore has the rule of law, when you know it does not. To say that Dr. Chee is a crook, when you know he isn't.

I cannot see how this place can go on like this for long. The educated have already seen the dishonesty in this whole thing. So they pack up and leave for the west, particularly for Australia. They can afford to leave. They are English educated with tertiary education. They can go anywhere they want, so they leave.

The average man without a tertiary education may not see this, and so he may stay. But such citizens are not the essential workforce that Singapore needs. What they need is the brains for leadership. But alas, the brains know the truth and the truth is not conducive to Lee Kuan Yew.

I do not believe that Singapore can be governed this day and age by fear alone. As you can see, the government comes down very hard on critics by imprisoning them, impoverishing them and bankrupting them. Yet all this punishment is failing to deter more and more young men from coming out and openly condemning this dictatorial regime.

What will happen is this. As Lee finds that his critics increase in number, he will increase the punishments meted out to them. But I cannot see this working for him. In the end he will alienate even more Singaporeans to a point where they will not take this lying down and then there must be change. It is inevitable.

He has to know that 1953 colonial tactics cannot work in 2008 Singapore. The good news is, he does not appear to know this.

Gopalan Nair
39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Suite A1
Fremont, CA 94538, USA
Tel: 510 657 6107
Fax: 510 657 6914
Email: [email protected]
Blog: http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/

Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to [email protected] And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.
Posted by Gopalan Nair at 11:56 PM

 

[Ah Hai]

13 Comments

Anonymous said...

Welcome back Mr Gopalan Nair! I knew for certain that you will come back swinging stronger than ever b4,after your experiences in LKY's S'pore. You are one determined and relentless braveheart fighting for the freedom of the land of your birth. Keep it up, my friend, best wishes and regards.
Mike Chan
29.11.08

Sat Nov 29, 05:45:00 AM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey, you're right...
I'm just an average university undergraduate, and I'm already fearful of unintentionally saying the wrong things in my blog. What if I write an honest critique of the current system of governance, and get thrown in jail for it? What if a simple question gets taken for defamation? I don't even dare to use an account to post here, for fear that even such comments will be seen as "seditious."

Please don't be discouraged, as long as you believe in what you are standing for. We want to hear something other than the government line.

I can't wait to get out of Singapore. Wonder when I'll be able to earn enough to do that... Maybe then I'll be able to write freely without fear of reprisal.
Wish me luck!

Sat Nov 29, 07:32:00 AM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Best of luck!

Sat Nov 29, 09:40:00 PM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah? So why did you succumb, prostrated yourself on all fours and torso to kowtow to the Emperor and pleaded guilty, and then went on to delete your posts, you stupid opportunistic Indian mamah!!!?

Spineless - just like all Indians, especially of the legal fraternity. Shame on you!

Sat Nov 29, 11:29:00 PM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

And you choose to live in the country where the corrupt CIA is from!!!

LOSER!!!

Sun Nov 30, 02:42:00 AM PST
Blogger Admin said...

http://singapore-democracy.blogspot.com/


Check out my blog i put together on Lee's corruption of the system from day 1.

Sun Nov 30, 01:02:00 PM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice to see your blog active again!

Nice to know you are safe and out of Stinkapore and out of Lee Regime!

Lucky you!

Keep writing pal! Good Luck!

Sun Nov 30, 06:47:00 PM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice to see your blog active again!

Nice to know you are safe and out of Stinkapore and out of Lee Regime!

Lucky you!

Keep writing pal! Good Luck!

Sun Nov 30, 06:48:00 PM PST
Anonymous Kevin Coffman said...

I am an admirer of Singapore's zero-tolerance for illicit narcotics. Is their suppression of opinion cut from the same cloth, I wonder? Because if it is then, is it also possible that critics of their courts may have some ulterior motives or allegiance to nefarious ties?

Sun Nov 30, 09:54:00 PM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Mr Coffman,

In case you haven't known, the Singapore government under Lee kuan Yew is an erstwhile business partner of EVERY BURMESE - Shan, Karen, whatever their ethnicity and whoever was the kingpin of the day in that wretched land
- dictator, junta, narco-king (from the retired Khun Sa down to the current world's top opium exporters, mostly descendants of Kuomintang veterans who escaped there after losing the war to the Commies bcak in 1949).

So, no, noself-respecting drug lord anywhere in the world would even dare dream of criticizing Harry Old Boy - for he's their greatest chummy buddy and Singapore their favorite LAUNDROMAT, money laundering center of choice!

Mon Dec 01, 05:49:00 AM PST
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Welcome back, Gopalan! It may interest you to know LKY underwent some pacemaker operation lately to reinforce his darkened heart. Not only is he losing his grip on his power, he is losing his grip on his heart too! Let prepare some condolences at hand, in the likeness of LHL and Goh Choke Tong!

Mon Dec 01, 07:51:00 AM PST
Anonymous YTY said...

Nair, in my opinion, you are a coward.

You lied your way to freedom and you dare to profess to be a champion for human rights?

It's people like you who mislead others into thinking you are such true souls and voices of the people of Singapore.

Frankly, I'm glad you are no longer a Singaporean.

Tue Dec 02, 06:46:00 AM PST
Anonymous YTY said...

Ha ha ha!

You are so spineless as to even filter our comments before posting!

Pathetic..

Tue Dec 02, 06:48:00 AM PST
http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/index.html

 

[Ah Hai]

Hello from Fremont, near San Francisco, California.

Friday, November 28, 2008
Hello from Fremont, near San Francisco, California.
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am back in my office in Fremont, Northern California. I arrived at San Francisco airport on May 26, 2008 in the evening. Major problems caused by being forced to stay in Singapore for 6 months. Unpaid office rent. Unpaid mortgage. Disconnected telephone lines. Disconnected home utilities. Massive credit card debts.

But I tell you what. I am breathing. I am alive. And I am in America. Where anything is possible. And what is most important, I intend to continue with even greater resolve to expose the dictatorship which is what Singapore is. If Lee Kuan Yew thought even for a moment that he has broken my spirit, he can't be more wrong.

In a way, Lee Kuan Yew has done me a great service. Before my arrest and imprisonment, this blog was well read. But after that he has made it a must read, for a great many. And furthermore, it has given it international publicity. And he has given me credibility to an extent I did not have before.

After my release from prison on the 20th of November 2008, I was allowed to remain in Singapore for 5 days to get my personal affairs sorted out before I left. A condition of being allowed to remain in Singapore for 5 days was that I did not interfere in Singapore's domestic politics. I am prohibited from entering Singapore again unless I have prior permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In effect, I will never be able to return to Singapore.

But even if I was given permission to return it would be unwise to do it, since I could be arrested again under one or more of the litany of laws in place to silence criticism. And for sure, I am not looking forward to more time in a Singapore prison.

I have many matters to take care of presently leaving little time to write blog posts. But Lee Kuan Yew and his government can take this from me now. I am defying the undertaking that I gave in court on September 12, 2008 when I admitted being in contempt of court. I am withdrawing the admission and repeating what I have always said that the Singapore judiciary is corrupt for being a stooge to Lee Kuan Yew and his government. I withdraw all apologies that were given in Court 15, Subordinate Court Singapore to Judge Leslie Chew. The only reason for my apology was a desire to get out of prison as soon as possible. They brought these new contempt charges while I was incarcerated in prison, with only 8 days to go for my release. If I had not apologised as Lee Kuan Yew wanted, there was the possibility that I could be kept in prison for a further period of up to 6 months, according to the law code section.

I had also given an undertaking to remove the 2 blog posts, of Sept 1, 2008 and Sept 6, 2008 which referred to my trial and conviction before Judge James Leong in the Subordinate Courts for disorderly behaviour and insulting a policemen, charges entirely made up by the police to discredit me. I will be re-posting those 2 blog posts and stand by every word that I had written in them.

For the moment goodbye. Too much personal work to catch up. The telephone, the rent, the mortgage etc etc. But I will be blogging again soonest. Have no fear.

Gopalan Nair
39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Suite A1
Fremont, CA 94538, USA
Tel: 510 657 6107
Fax: 510 657 6914
Email: [email protected]
Blog: http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/

Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to [email protected] And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.
Posted by Gopalan Nair at 7:41 PM

 

[Ah Hai]

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Welcome back to the country of freedom.

What can't break you will only make you stronger. Screw those agreement and promise of not writing anything against the kangaroo government because the kangaroo government is even much worse in breaking their own promise and oath of serve the country with equality and justice. Robbing the nation of wealth and destroy nation through their own personal greed and follies.

Your ordeal will make you even more audacious in writing post on Singapore kangaroo. Keep up the blog. The world is reading it.
Fri Nov 28, 11:24:00 PM PST
Anonymous said...

Even the WSJ get the taste our world-class kangaroo court system. The day of hip-hoping of this despondent government is numbered. The world now knows the kangaroo and unable to do business with it. Look at how hard the kangaroo trying to sell tiny red dot to the third-world country now. Can't sell to first world , sell to third-world country, and that is how cheap our world-most-expensive government is now.
Fri Nov 28, 11:29:00 PM PST
xNSman said...

Dear Gopalan,

Welcome back to freedom and we are sorry that you have been screwed over and over again while you were in Singapore. We see that the ordeal have made you even stronger instead of subdued when critical of the Singapore Judicial and Government. There are reasons as to why the Singapore Judicial system now do not accept appeals to the Privy Council. Real Gold is not afraid of Fire. Can our Court system stand up to the scrutiny of the Privy Council or ICJ?
Fri Nov 28, 11:59:00 PM PST
Anonymous said...

Ugly PM Lee and his refusing to resign father will ultimatley pay the price of their greed oand ill gotten gains.
Sat Nov 29, 12:37:00 AM PST
Anonymous said...

Dear Gopalan,

Welcome back. What has transpired in Singapore is a travesty of justice, making a mockery out of the rule of law.

I hope it is possible to get an action against the violation of your First Amendment rights by a court which has no jurisdiction over your expression in a US-based blog.

Stay strong and take care.
Sat Nov 29, 09:25:00 AM PST
Anonymous said...

Glad to hear you made it safely back home, bruised but unbowed by those nasty cowards that currently run the police state that is our poor nation today. If any lesson has been learned, it is that there are no lies they will not tell, no evidence they will not fabricate, no depth to which they will not sink in their desperate bid to retain complete hegemony at all cost.

They may have fined you and they may have jailed you in their petty vindictiveness, but there is simply no question who emerged victorious in the contest. Thanks to you and the SDP, the carefully-manicured credibility of that aged bloodsucker lies in ruins and nobody believes a word uttered by the empty vessel and his Mafiosi any longer. His bumbling, incompetent, lying police force has been shown to be exactly that, and the Alice In Wonderland 'justice' meted out by his kangaroo courts is now an international joke. One really has to wonder how those fawning, spineless guardians of the Constitution have the nerve to look in the mirror each day.

Someday there will be a reckoning for these creatures and that day is not far off. Meantime, a sincere thank you for your valiant stand against that disagreeable oppressor. Truly is it said that you can take the Singaporean out of Singapore but you can never take the Singapore out of a Singaporean. Rest assured that your blog is essential reading for all who love and care about Singapore. Way to go, Gopalan!
Sat Nov 29, 11:55:00 AM PST
Anonymous said...

There is no freedom in America. You are spied on by the state and in Gopi's state of California, gays are not allowed to marry anymore.

What freedom is there?
Sun Nov 30, 02:43:00 AM PST
Josh Ng said...

I in Australia, have been praying for your well-being. Uncle Yap did great by letting us know you are released.

The kangaroo court over in Singapore has done itself a great disservice for itself through its actions.

You are the victim and a witness to what we have long suspected of the injustice system in Singapore.

Why should you return to a country that treat its former citizens like traitors.

I am sure that you will find America, a much more forgiving land. If Democract Pres-elect Obama is born in Singapore, he will be bankrupted by Lee and in exile in USA now.

Wish you good health, and may you find positive outcome in your debt problems.
Sun Nov 30, 04:56:00 AM PST
Anonymous said...

I think you meant to say you arrived on Nov 26, 2008 (not May 26, 2008).
Sun Nov 30, 07:49:00 AM PST
Anonymous said...

Welcome back! Always enjoyed reading your blog.

Hope you get your life back soon. Cheers!
Mon Dec 01, 02:28:00 AM PST
Anonymous said...

Haha, you're really funny.. may be.
LKY that free to read your blog? nice try man nice try
Mon Dec 01, 05:44:00 AM PST
Anonymous said...

Haha, LKY not free, too busy wondering when the batteries of his pacemaker are going to go flat.
Haha, will you still have a job then?
Haha, that will be really funny too...maybe.
Haha, sad case man, too bad.
Mon Dec 01, 11:57:00 AM PST
Anonymous said...

Gopalan, it's funny you write garbage like this. You are a two-faced coward.

If you stand by your conviction and belief, why did you beg the Judge to release you from the prison? What high moral stand do you have when you are nothing more than a third-rate liar? You promised that you will delete a few blog entries only so that they can be re-posted after you run like a chicken and hide in your Fremont home?

If you can't even stand the hardships of a prison, and lie your way to get out of it, what credibility are you demonstrating to people.

You are nothing more than a "whino" Gopalan. You have done nothing for Singapore, except to rant and bitch.

You should see other countries in the region and feel the poverty and misery people are going through. I tell you what, WHO cares? People get three square meals to eat, a good education, a decent job and healthcare and a pride that they can hold their head high.

Are there many countries that can promise that? What is happening in the land of milk and honey where you have taken asylum? Systemic blind-siding of financial markets and complete mis-management by regulators have raped the global economy beyond recognition. Is this the freedom and "inclusive democracy" you are talking about?

What are you complaining of? You are nothing but a dinosaur living in stone age with no connection to reality. Go get a life somewhere you loser...and post this comment in your blog if you have the guts
Mon Dec 01, 11:39:00 PM PST

 

[Ah Hai]

Re: 21 comments:

Gopalan Nair said...

I suppose you are comparing Singapore to Indonesia and Burma?

Gopalan Nair
Mon Dec 01, 11:57:00 PM PST
AnnA said...

Hi Gopalan

I am Anna. How are you today?

The last comment posted by an anonymous, I think he/she IS really comparing Singapore to war torn or under developed countries. That's why he so proud of having 3 square meals per day :P

He/she doesn't speak for me.

Cheers & Regards

AnnA
Tue Dec 02, 01:35:00 AM PST
Anonymous said...

Doesn't matter what you choose compare with...Indonesia or Burma, you can hide behind these pale comparisons, trying to put Singapore down..In your heart, you know what the truth is, no point pretending.

The truth is that you will be compared against spineless characters without any self-conviction...that will remain...I hope you feel at least a tiny bit of shame for your deceitful conduct..

US didn't leave as much a mouse fart in diplomatic support for the citizenship you hold with them during your arrest in Singapore. You're merely hiding behind that shield of citizenship so you can rant without any accountability.

Deep in your heart, you fear so much for as much a Jail-term and you preach high morals to people about how they fight democracy. You are a shame in front of people like Mandela who spent 25 years in prison. You don't espouse the cause you believe in, you are merely a cheap opportunist. I hope you realize that!
Tue Dec 02, 05:46:00 AM PST
Anonymous said...

"Gopalan, it's funny you write garbage like this. You are a two-faced coward...blah, blah, yadda, yadda..."

And what does that say of you, Mr No-Name Anonymous Coward of Mon Dec 01, 11:39:00 PM PST? Why are you troubling to respond so vehemently to 'garbage'? Why bother taking the time out from your happy-clappy, allegedly wonderful life in paradise-on-earth? Could it be that Goplan's words touch a raw nerve and you know that he speaks the truth?

It must be galling that all sectors of the economy in your insignificant little dot hit the buffers whenever the land of milk and honey (that you sneer at) coughs, eh? And it's gonna get worse for you in 2009, much worse as the screw tightens. Now tell us again about this golden period your foolproof Minister Mentor says you're enjoying? So much for the infantile bragging about opaque reserves, mediocre government and Asian values. Only frogs in the pot like you haven't noticed the rising temperature of your surroundings.

As Christopher Lingle observed, you live in a Leninist one-party police state and are content to gnaw on the bones tossed to you from the high table. A pretend First World Nation to be envied? Most Singaporeans are beginning to think - not!
Tue Dec 02, 07:41:00 AM PST
Anonymous said...

Dear Mr Nair,

I support you. But I need to know. How can a 6 month stay in jail, which is:
(i) Rent Free
(ii) Board Free
and provides you with free use of toilet, lights, a bed and a roof over your head, with no time for you to go shopping,

have resulted in you incurring massive credit card debts???
Tue Dec 02, 08:27:00 PM PST
Gopalan Nair said...

The debts were incurred in USA while I was kept in Singapore. I dont live in Singapore. I spent 2 months in jail. The rest of the time I was kept in Singapore because my passport was held. Loss of clients, unpaid rent, living expenses in Singapore, no income, etc etc., credit card debt
Tue Dec 02, 09:09:00 PM PST
Anonymous said...

You are Singapore Hero?

Thank you. Looking for sympathy and financial support in oversea. What is the different in Terrorism.

If you stand up strong in Singapore, like Chee, you may get more respect, but not this manner.

You look not only as a coward but a crown, and ppl who whorship you are idiots.

You oredi not Singaporean, dont come and mess up Singapore, let Chee do it.

Chee Soon Guan's supporter
Tue Dec 02, 11:39:00 PM PST
Anonymous said...

You had to get out from the lion's den. I doubt LKY will like the Singapore he has created if he was not in the seat of power.
Wed Dec 03, 05:08:00 PM PST

 

[leetahbar]

by the way, he's very rich and eats in restaurant

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Can I share some stirring words with you. I had lunch today in Chinese restaurant and the fortune cookie had this

"the only people who never fail are those who never try"

While in Queenstown Prison Singapore for 60 days for writing a blog post in this blog, which the Lee Kuan Yew government calls insulting a judge, I read a novel, which name I forget which had this, of which I am guilty,

"self delusion is a pre-condition for any act of consequence".

Someone who died rounding Cape Horn in the BOC Round the World Single Handed Yacht Race, his name was Harry something, which I forget. He was washed off his deck trying to round the Horn in the Roaring Forties in 70 knot gale. His life line saftey harness snapped. The Chilean Navy tried to search but had to leave because they could not operate at night. The Australian navy came later. Harry was never found. His words,

"life should be one long adventure, or it is nothing"

When I look back at my ordeal in Singapore, it is true that at the time it was hard. But now when I revisit it in my mind, it was one of the greatest adventures of my life. And to come back to shambles in California and having to pick up from where I started, is another adventure.

You can say this again, my life has been a roller coaster. But you know what, I wouldn't have it any other way. I agree entirely with Harry.

Gopalan Nair

 

[guavatree]

by the way, he's very rich and eats in restaurant

bapok fake monk PAP dog

ah you jealous huh .... LOL

at least he doesn't steal money from temples or bash his own father!

 

[Alu862]

by the way, he's very rich and eats in restaurant

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Can I share some stirring words with you. I had lunch today in Chinese restaurant and the fortune cookie had this

"the only people who never fail are those who never try"

While in Queenstown Prison Singapore for 60 days for writing a blog post in this blog, which the Lee Kuan Yew government calls insulting a judge, I read a novel, which name I forget which had this, of which I am guilty,

"self delusion is a pre-condition for any act of consequence".

Someone who died rounding Cape Horn in the BOC Round the World Single Handed Yacht Race, his name was Harry something, which I forget. He was washed off his deck trying to round the Horn in the Roaring Forties in 70 knot gale. His life line saftey harness snapped. The Chilean Navy tried to search but had to leave because they could not operate at night. The Australian navy came later. Harry was never found. His words,

"life should be one long adventure, or it is nothing"

When I look back at my ordeal in Singapore, it is true that at the time it was hard. But now when I revisit it in my mind, it was one of the greatest adventures of my life. And to come back to shambles in California and having to pick up from where I started, is another adventure.

You can say this again, my life has been a roller coaster. But you know what, I wouldn't have it any other way. I agree entirely with Harry.

Gopalan Nair

Gopalan English my dear American--"I have forgotten"