One Nation Under Lee receives warm reception in Johor Baru

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Sunday, 14 September 2008

Singapore Democrats

One Nation Under Lee is going places in Malaysia and its screening is attracting large audiences.

After its successful showing in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur at the Freedom Film Fest 2008 last week, the organizers KOMAS, Malay acronym for Malaysian Human Rights Communication Centre, moved the venue to Johor Baru.

So when the 45-minute English documentary, banned by the Singaporean authorities, was shown yesterday at a local hotel across the causeway it understandably attracted many Singaporeans.

The film was warmly received by the audience and Mr Seelan Palay was on hand to take questions from the floor.

A foreigner in the audience who had lived in Singapore for seven months said that from her experience in Singapore, the country is a good place to live in contrary to what the movie portrays. She also noted that the protests and demonstrations that were shown in the film are not spontaneous like in Malaysia. This shows the people in general are contented.

Mr Michael Fernandez, a former trade unionist imprisoned without trial by the PAP government, said that the outward appearance of tranquility is a façade, a situation that has been brought about through years of ruthless state repression of an entire generation.

Mr Fernandez said that he was glad to see youngsters like Seelan, Martyn See and others who are taking an interest in what is happening around them.

He said the youth in Singapore, especially the students in tertiary institutions in the 1950s, 60s and 70s were actively engaged in society. Their language backgrounds were never a barrier as students from the Singapore University, the Nantah, and the Singapore Polytechnic came together to speak up on issues not only affecting youths but also the general public.

He said he could still remember the time when university students protested against the Suitability Certificate that the PAP introduced. The student exuberance and vibrancy were, however, bullied into silence. This has led to entire generations of students growing up in a state of apathy.

Mr Fernandez also pointed out it was wrong to compare tiny Singapore with Malaysia which is so much bigger and where there is much more room for dissent and alternative views to flourish.

Singapore playwright Robert Yeo and blogger Alex Au were also present and contributed to the discussion.

There was a suggestion from an appreciative Singaporean that more such films were needed to bring about greater awareness, especially among the youths and the workers who have forgotten the role of trades unions and what the word "strike" meant, the ultimate weapon that employees have against unscrupulous employers for whose interest the PAP government exists.

Mr Seelan took the questions and comments in his usual relaxed and jovial demeanour.

Malaysian reviewer, Mr Andrew Sia, had this to say about the film: "Even though part of it seems like a Powerpoint presentation, it manages to engage – a lesson here for shoestring budget film makers."

Also, at the end of the second day of the three-day film festival, filmmakers from Singapore and Johor held a brainstorming session to coordinate their work to achieve greater synergy.

The next place the organizers planning to screen One Nation Under Lee is Kuching, Sarawak on Saturday, 20 Sept. And finally, the documentary on Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore will be shown to audiences in Penang on Saturday, 27 Sep 08.

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Comments (34)

Mon 15 Sep 2008 9:21 AM | | NOT MY SDP - Don't disgrace Singaporeans abroad

Even powerpoint presentations can make it to be screened?

Mon 15 Sep 2008 9:41 AM | AnnA - Publish To More Countries

Great. The more places to go, the more people would not want to follow Singapore style, once they know that Singapore is actually being dictate by a tyrant. The more publicity, the more awareness.

An embarassing truth that needs to be told.

Mon 15 Sep 2008 4:27 PM | | seebeng - Expose PAP propaganda....

One Nation Under Lee is a great attempt to expose the duplicity of a tyrannical regime.

The PAP depends on spreading falsehood through its propaganda machinery run by Singapore Press Holdings.

SPH is headed by Tony Tan, a former deputy prime minister. Before him it was Lim Kim San, a former minister and crony of Lee Kuan Yew. Lim took over as SPH chairman from S R Nathan, the present president of Singapore!

Mon 15 Sep 2008 4:53 PM | Mad Cow Govt - Keep increasing and increasing

[quote]Great. The more places to go, the more people would not want to follow Singapore style, once they know that Singapore is actually being dictate by a tyrant. The more publicity, the more awareness.

An embarassing truth that needs to be told.[/quote]

[color=red][b]We have been and are living under a tyrant/FamiLee!

The whole world must know!

Just look how they blatantly just keep increasing the transport cost????[/b][/color]

Mon 15 Sep 2008 4:55 PM | ah beng - LKY is goin places

Yo, let the ugly truth be known. I'm sick of this 'oh-it's-a-nice-clean-orderly-well-behaved-citizens-happy-country' fake crap. Nice on the surface, boiling below.

Mon 15 Sep 2008 6:07 PM | anon - What is next?

What else can a normal citizen contribute to the downfall of the regime?

Have you thought of educating the older chinese generation and addressing their viewpoints of SDP and Dr Chee? They may be a good set of people to have them on your side for the next election.

Mon 15 Sep 2008 6:20 PM | friendofpalay - HindiChiniMalayuBhaiBhai

Dear Mr Palay,

Though I have seen many of your works, this is the first time I am surfing your blog.

I must say my thanks for your great work as it has opened our eyes.

Like I have said to you once, Mr Palay, you are a fellow human being and a Singapore Singaporean...

After seeing your work and your action, I am of the view that u are more than capable to represent all Singaporeans, regardless of language or religion. PLEASE BE THE VOICE OF ALL SINGAPOREANS... Do not confine yourself to a particular race...

If there is a group of Singaporeans who have been left behind, regardless of who they are, lets help them....

As you must have witnessed yourself, the authorities of both sides of the causeway are too happy to keep the different ethnic groups in their own enclaves and mindset. Such model have been subjected to abuse by the authorities (from colonial govt till present rulers) for more than a century..

It hurts me when they set up SINDA, MENDAKI and CDAD (some called Chinaki) on the basis that people will help their own race...

May i appeal to you to call your website... SINGAPOREAN VOICE.. u may leave the word Indian there with a crossed line.. It will reflect that you have leaped out of racial mindset...

Welcome to Singapore my fellow Singaporean..

Yours respectfully fellow Singaporean

Mon 15 Sep 2008 6:27 PM | tohjohn

LKY has written extensively about himself in his memoirs years ago. Obviously, he painted himself as a man of integrity, honesty, fair, intellegent, caring, etc, etc, etc.(yawn)

But the truth must be known! It has to be known! In the last 25 years of his rule. He is nothing but a despot and a tyrant. All his wants for the past quarter of a century is to stay in power, not only for himself, but for his son, relatives, the party that he founded. His wants to ensure his legacy remains, and that is, only praise and nothing else will be bestow on him when he utimately pass on.

BUT

LKY and PAP dark side must be shown for the people to judge them. After all this is only fair.

Mon 15 Sep 2008 6:50 PM | Mike - ONE side of the coin only

Cannot the entire truth...

You were not born then, how do you know?

Only one sided story also..

Maybe some of SDP members want to migrate to Malaysia?

Mon 15 Sep 2008 7:09 PM | Tan Tai Wei

DJ Enright, Professor of English of our university in the 60s, related this incident in his "Memoirs..."

LKY wanted the then Vice Chancellor, a Sreenivasan, to sack four students from Malaya, who had taken part in some political protest. Sreenivasan refused, taking the stand that if Lee had political grounds to send the four away, it was for Lee to do so. As the students had not broken any university regulation, he couldn't as Vice Chancellor dismiss them.

Lee stopped the state funds coming into the university, and Sreenivasan had to resign, or his staff could not be paid their salaries the following month! Sreenivasan, a medical doctor, then went into private practice and died years later in that capacity.

Mon 15 Sep 2008 7:58 PM | Anonymous - Must be truth

It's must be truth lor cause it is banned by the Singaporean authorities.
As the saying goes, "the truth always hurts".

Mon 15 Sep 2008 8:23 PM | Victor - SEARCH YOUR SOUL, MR. SEELAN

Dear Seelan,

Search your souls before you start to discredit Singapore, I start to wonder ARE YOU REALLY SINGAPOREAN!

Mon 15 Sep 2008 8:27 PM | Ayzkhai SocialistSGP - Time To Wake Up

[color=red]I was there with Seelen and a whole lot more of friends.It was good to know that many Malaysian and Johorians are in Solidarity against the LEE regime.I believe that is time for all especially youth to wake up from their 'dreams'.Time has come for the spirit of the past to be alive again.Stand up Youths,Unionist,Lawyers Adults and ALL.Empower yourselves.It is not a struggle for SDP nor Seelen or me or Dr Chee.But rather it is for our Rights as a Citizen.Uphold our Dignity.Let this be the beginning of a Struggle 'By The People For The People'[/color]

Mon 15 Sep 2008 8:46 PM | Mike - Invasion?

[quote=Ayzkhai SocialistSGP][color=red]I was there with Seelen and a whole lot more of friends.It was good to know that many Malaysian and Johorians are in Solidarity against the LEE regime.'[/color][/quote]

why Malaysians also against the Lee regime?

What's their business in this?

Plotting some kind of invasion against Singapore.. by pretending to be against Lee.

and making use of Singapore Traitors to try to inflitrate and attack Singapore..

Not that Simple..

Mon 15 Sep 2008 8:47 PM | Traitors Terminator

Ayzkhai SocialistSGP - May i know whether are u a Singaporean. I understand you are talking cock in this talking cok website, it's ok. What in solidarity with the Malaysian and Johorians against the PAP Govt? If you are a Singaporean, to me you as well as Seelan look more like a traitor. An ungrateful lot.

Mon 15 Sep 2008 10:36 PM | Anonymous

It's something like this.

Your father says no to your watching a video at home.

So, you take it and your brothers, and friends, to a neighbour's house, who has a more liberal father, to watch it.

Mon 15 Sep 2008 10:56 PM | mikee - LKY = Singapore

We are not against Singapore. We are just against LKY + his people lying to Singaporeans. Is that anti-Singapore? Why is not film not shown here? Because LKY painted himself to be a saint ... and he hates to see the truth about himself.

All things consider, I think LKY has contributed to Singapore ... but he has some weaknesses too ...

The only problem is that, he wants to be larger than he actually is. In fact, he is no better than Suharto, Mahathir, or Marcos.

Mon 15 Sep 2008 11:49 PM | Ayzkhai SocialistSGP - In Response To Criticism :)

Its good to know that you are reading my comments.But I would like to say that the Malaysian and Singapore goverment has been violating Human Rights and abusing their power.This Solidarity is against those that abuse power.My maternal grandfather is from Malaysia and my paternal grandfather is from Indonesia.But I was born and raise in Singapore since young.I am a proud Singaporean.
International organisation and human rights group has been condemming Lees authoritarian regime.Others not only in Malaysia have been showing support ton activist in Singapore.But we here in Singapore are called traitors and so on.
If to tell the TRUTH is consider a TRAITOR,then I am a TRAITOR.
If to be against the LEE regime is consider a TRAITOR,then I am a TRAITOR.
If to fight for the right of our CITIZENS is be consider a TRAITOR,the I am a TRAITOR.
Let Singaporean judge for themselves.
Thank You.

Tue 16 Sep 2008 12:53 AM | Mike - Life Imprisonment for Traitors

[quote=Ayzkhai SocialistSGP]If to tell the TRUTH is consider a TRAITOR,then I am a TRAITOR.
If to be against the LEE regime is consider a TRAITOR,then I am a TRAITOR.
If to fight for the right of our CITIZENS is be consider a TRAITOR,the I am a TRAITOR.
Let Singaporean judge for themselves.
[quote]

Traitors will get LIFE imprisonment...

Or the death sentence..

Care to try it?

You won't be so nicely treated by the government like they treat the CHEES... or their CHESS..

Tue 16 Sep 2008 1:12 AM | Simon

Being Singaporeans doesn't mean that we have to blindly loyal to the ruling party, especially one that exploits its citizens for the benefit of the "elites".
This kind of blind loyalty is equivalent of inviting them to rape your mother, sisters wife and daughters and you are still expected to be grateful to them.
But being the kind of soulless inhuman beings of what these supporters are, i'm sure they willing to betray anything to gain the favors from the ruling party, that includes turning a blind eye to the sufferings of the majority of singaporeans in support of the government.
So, search deeply within your hearts (if you even possess any), who are the real traitors?

Tue 16 Sep 2008 2:36 AM | ForeignerPR

Now let's see if SDP publishes this news on its homepage

[url]http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aydBphNeL.Cw&refer=asia[/url]

Tue 16 Sep 2008 4:34 AM | AnnA - To : Mike

[quote=Mike]
Traitors will get LIFE imprisonment...

Or the death sentence..[quote]

Mike, tell that to LKY for being a traitor to his friends and this country.

Tue 16 Sep 2008 6:09 AM | Anonymous

[quote]
Or the death sentence..

Care to try it?

You won't be so nicely treated by the government like they treat the CHEES... or their CHESS..
[/quote]

Hi Mike,

why always think of those chee leh? you got geylang addiction? Better seek your MP for counselling leh.

Tue 16 Sep 2008 8:10 AM | your smelly friend - re: Time To Wake Up

[quote=Ayzkhai SocialistSGP][color=red]I was there with Seelen and a whole lot more of friends.It was good to know that many Malaysian and Johorians are in Solidarity against the LEE regime.I believe that is time for all especially youth to wake up from their 'dreams'.Time has come for the spirit of the past to be alive again.Stand up Youths,Unionist,Lawyers Adults and ALL.Empower yourselves.It is not a struggle for SDP nor Seelen or me or Dr Chee.But rather it is for our Rights as a Citizen.Uphold our Dignity.Let this be the beginning of a Struggle 'By The People For The People'[/color][/quote]

if you were really that big an advocate of the SDP, i'm quite damn sure that you would actually have gotten your party member's name right. it's SEELAN, with an A not an E!!

by the way, do you in the SDP not have food, shelter or clothes to wear? what poverty do you know when you are not the afflicted? what the eyes see, the ears hear and the hearts feel are all just perceptions of the world. and likewise, what all of you rally and fight for are just perceptions - those that are severly tainted by that of personal vendetta and zero intention for the people.

Tue 16 Sep 2008 4:45 PM | AnnA - To: your smelly friend

"by the way, do you in the SDP not have food, shelter or clothes to wear? what poverty do you know when you are not the afflicted? what the eyes see, the ears hear and the hearts feel are all just perceptions of the world"

Is that only what we are getting as Singaporean? Food, shelter and clothes? What about our working souls? The souls that have to sacrificed hours of working and yet have not enough money for the whole family? Why is there no more breadwinner in the family? Because husbands AND wives have to make ends meet. The words "make ends meet" seems to be so common amongst Singaporean nowadays. Why wasn't there anymore uses of words such as "earning extra" by common people?? And if there were people who can say "saving for rainy days", why can't it be mention as "it's going to be for our holidays coz I have enough for rainy days"? Where are our lives now?

You talk about the world. I see that in 3rd world countries, at least they have scooters to OWN forever. What about us? 'Own' a vehicle just to send for scrap in 10 years. 'Own' a flat (majority) for 99 years or perhaps will be offered for en-bloc after 30 years to screw our lives again for new mortgage loans. We can't even get our savings in CPF back. You can't even have your rights to pluck a plum from its tree but just to see it go wasted. A simple honesty to return something that you found on the streets to the police will make you into trouble as you have to make a statement about it. What's wrong with our lives?? And you allow this to happen in our daily lives just by agreeing to the selfish ruling party?

Is that what our parents (yes, your parents and my parents) and our children (yes, your children and my children) can only have? Is that what we can only have?? Food, shelter and clothes?

"and likewise, what all of you rally and fight for are just perceptions - those that are severly tainted by that of personal vendetta and zero intention for the people."

Right now, PAP has zero intention for the people. Sit and think about it.

Tue 16 Sep 2008 5:40 PM | SB - Correction

Quote - "A foreigner in the audience who had lived in Singapore for seven months said that from her experience in Singapore, the country is a good place to live in contrary to what the movie portrays. She also noted that the protests and demonstrations that were shown in the film are not spontaneous like in Malaysia. This shows the people in general are contented."

Actually she was recounting what her circle of friends in Singapore told her rather than basing it on her own experience.That Singapore is, according to them, a good place to live in.

"Also, at the end of the second day of the three-day film festival, filmmakers from Singapore and Johor held a brainstorming session to coordinate their work to achieve greater synergy."

The filmmakers from the Malaysian side did not come from Johor but from other parts of Malaysia.

Yes,I was there too and it was goood. In Singapore and Malaysia we say "Power ah!"

Tue 16 Sep 2008 8:03 PM | Ayzkhai SocialistSGP - ERROR

[quote]your smelly
if you were really that big an advocate of the SDP, i'm quite damn sure that you would actually have gotten your party member's name right. it's SEELAN, with an A not an E!!
friend [/quote]
Hey there tkz for correcting my mistake.Now we all knows how to spell Seelan name.Thank you.

Tue 16 Sep 2008 8:03 PM | Tan Tai Wei

Foreigner PR,

I don't understand your point.

That is only a piece of good luck which does not change the fact that Temasek had been mistaken in not sensing the extent of the financial crisis.

The Bank of America's buying of Merryl a could hardly be a matter for predicting, unlike the sensing of the extent of the crisis, which fall within the 'expertise' of market analysts and the CEO of Temasek.

Tue 16 Sep 2008 10:38 PM | Jason teo

I wish to take this opportunity to wish my beloved MM LEE KUAN YEW a very happy birthday....

Many more good years for Singapore!

Tue 16 Sep 2008 10:55 PM | AN - Traitor?

To : Mike

Mike, each time when you go Geylang, I assume you didn't stick to one woman right?

Is it then OK for us to judge you as being 'A TRAITOR'??? Afterall, I don't tink you are the faithful sort.......

Who da f**k are you to judge people who opposes the PAP that they are 'TRAITORS'.

And who da f**k are you to rule that people who are TRAITORS get life imprisonment?

I hope that one day when your master fall, you won't be the first to run away. If you do, you'll be the mother of all TRAITORS.

Tue 16 Sep 2008 11:25 PM | g_e - Smelling of roses? Nope.

ForeignerPR said:
[quote][i]Now let's see if SDP publishes this news on its homepage

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aydBphNeL.Cw&refer=asia[/i][/quote]

Well, I can't see why not. It'll only be followed by this, unfortunately:

[b]"At Bank of America's orginal estimate of $29 a share, Temasek would have ended up making $1.5 billion on its investment. Unfortunately, the markets haven't been kind to the stocks of either BofA or Merrill. At the end of the day, Bank of America was down $7.19 or 21.3% to close $26.55, while Merrill Lynch only gained a penny at close, ending the day at $17.06 a share, leaving Temasek's investment still well into the loss column. - George White"[/b]

- http://www.thedeal.com/dealscape/2008/09/bofa_buyout_cant_quite_save_te.php

Wed 17 Sep 2008 12:10 AM | curious

yet another brownie point for the sdp and their fellow clowns - well done, instead of doing us proud in any material way, you have once again, demonstrated your sense of pride in Singapore, our country, by going across the causeway and announcing to the whole world a manufactured, slanted and biased view of the "repressive" life we have in spore!

your patriotism in being with foreigners, first the burmese than now the malaysians, in lampooning the govt is truly admirable. i wonder where you develop such strong sense of national pride - befitting of the leaders of our country, indeed.

also, yet another brownie point! films, books, speeches, newsletters, websites... what a progressive party! you have embodied the campaigning methodology of the 21st century! i sure hope such means reach out to the majority of the singapore population, though actual results show otherwise.

and out of curiosity, if mr fernandez is correct in his astute analysis of the body politic of singapore's tertiary students, may i then ask him, where on earth are those students from his era? if they are indeed as vigorous and politically vibrant as he made them out to be, why is it that even amongst the population presumably in their 50s now, we do not see a large and substantial following for the opposition?

in fact, they seem to be the most compliant group in spore's middle class society, compared to the people who are actually organizing themselves, engaging and posting stuff online.

lastly, dear sdp, do a straw poll. find out how malaysians think of life in spore: you'll realize, as i have through empirical knowledge, that most malaysians envy singaporeans for the kind of life we have here, regardless the political "apathy" so you aggressively try to construe. most of them will make that swap given a choice, because unlike their govt which is similarly rather illiberal with democracy, our system has produced tangible results and progress, something msia cannot claim to have much of, and something even many western liberal democracies cannot boast of, despite their supposedly "superior" political system.

sdp, whats with all this senseless posturing and pseudo-demonstrations of your ability and competence to govern?

dont try to impress and get ahead of yourself. stick to the basics, move the ground along with you. until then, all your other antics and lampooning the government in a very careless, irresponsible and clearly partisan way will only serve to alienate and irritate the majority of singaporeans who respect and enjoy the results of the ruling regime, willingly putting up with some of the negative aspects, for we do not expect a perfect govt, much like how we certainly do not expect a perfect, or even coherent, opposition policy from you. i mean, how can we dream of that prospect for you, when all you seem to be doing all day long is complain, whine and produce books, organize Hawaiian-themed parties and do nothing of concrete benefit to the poor, the neglected and other segments in society which needs a leg up?

till the day your campaign translates into real benefits for the people who you proclaim to be serving, your political posturing only irritates and undermines your already untenable credibility.

Wed 17 Sep 2008 1:17 AM | anon - to G_E

Can you tell me why Temasek can end up with profit of 12 billion? I don't understand

Wed 17 Sep 2008 11:04 AM | g_e - re: to G_E

[quote=anon][i]Can you tell me why Temasek can end up with profit of 12 billion? I don't understand[/i][/quote]

Explain $12b profit to end-March '08 in a rising market, a fall of 29% on the previous year? Because of lower divestments they said. If Dhanablan and Ho Ching say so, who are we humble pawns to argue with them?

Not possible to dispute the numbers, praise or condemn. Temasek is not listed and as an exempt private company is not obliged to publish audited accounts so you have to take their word for it.

As you will when they announce the profit(?) for fiscal year 2008-09. That should be interesting given Temasek's now 40% exposure to the financial sector.