Human Rights Watch calls on Singapore to relax free speech, assembly laws
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/human-rights-watch-calls-on-singapore-to-relax-free-speech--assembly-laws-9494568
13 Dec 2017 11:25AM (Updated: 13 Dec 2017 11:40AM)

Ricky Lim · 

Singapore

It is difficult to agree with Human Right Watch call for free speech and free ssembly.

(1) Free assembly --- does it means that people can anyhow assemble in MRT for any political or social cause - and disrupt free flow of commuters?

Does it means it should allow assembly of foreigners to demo their cause at home like Bersih, Hongkong democracy ---- etc and trigger tension and unrest within Singapore?

(2) Free speech - does it means allowing fake news to spread, slander, defamation to spread freely?

Singaporeans vote the Government to keep Singapore running smoothly, in harmony and peaceful coexistence ---- and not the so call free speech, free assembly as advocated by this Human Right Watch - and cause disorder and chaos in Singapore.

Singaporeans consider Human Rights Watch call - troublemaker.

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Ricky Lim · 

Singapore

In fact it is a welcome move for Singapore Government to take action against people like Amos Yee, Jolovan Wham - who are troublemaker - to disrupt the lives of Singaporeans.

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Ricky Lim · 

Singapore

In other words, Human Rights Watch values and ideologies are foreign to Singaporeans and are not the values that Singaporeans want to embrace.

Go elsewhere and don't disrupt our peace and how we run our system.

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Liew Patrick · 

Managing Partner at Global Enterprise Exchange

Interpretation of freedom of expression is politically and culturally relative and different in every jurisdiction in the West.

For example, try denying the holocaust tragedy in many European countries, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Switzerland?

Or promote the Caliphate in North America?

That's why when different parties accuse Singapore of restricting freedom of expression and trying to impose their version of freedom of expression on us, they are being absolutely hypocritical.

They define values according to their terms and believe that they have the rights to impose their values on us and we cannot do the same to them.

Meanwhile, we have witnessed how moral values of some countries in the West have degraded.

Educational standards have declined. Crime rates have gone up.

It's generally not safe to walk on many streets in the night.

These countries have spent more money than they can afford and have chalked up huge debts for their future generations.

Their political systems are beset with pork-belly jostlings and hustlings.

Many of their political leaders have accepted questionable favours and donations to support their quests to win votes or support.

Such acts are nothing more than legalized corruption.

In the name of freedom of expression, these leaders have appealed to base instincts.

They will not stop at using lies of every kind to gain power.

They package these lies as half-truths, fake news, post-truths, alternate truths, and misinformation.

Many of their leaders have become so focused on capitalism that they have resorted to finding legal loopholes.

They have skirted around moral conscience to fatten their personal and corporate wallets - under the guise of improving bottom lines.

While fulfilling their self-appointed roles as watch dogs, guardians and policemen of the world, they have sometimes become nothing but "bullies on the block."

And they attempt to shape the world to their fallen image.

Are the above-mentioned values what we want in our country?

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