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Home News Singapore Seelan Palay submits Francis Seow video for rating
Seelan Palay submits Francis Seow video for rating Print E-mail
Monday, 14 September 2009
Singapore Democrats

Artist and human rights activist, Mr Seelan Palay, has sent a video entitled Francis Seow: The Interview to the Board of Film Censors for rating. The 40-minute interview shows the former solicitor-general speaking on a range of issues from his life in the US to Mr Lee Kuan Yew and his ministers.

Mr Seelan tells this website that the Media Development Authority insists that he submits the video as a political party film.

But Mr Seow is neither a member of a political party nor a politician, Mr Seelan points out. It doesn't matter, the MDA insists, the interview is a political party video and has to be submitted as one.

Mr Seow was detained under the ISA in 1987 after he decided to represent Ms Teo Soh Lung who was herself a lawyer and detained without trial during Operation Spectrum. She and her colleagues were accused of being part of a Marxist plot to overthrow the Government.

Mr Seow, on the other hand, was accused of colluding with the the CIA to form an opposition in Singapore.

The truth, as Mr Seow recounts in his book To Catch A Tartar, was that he had been in discussion with PAP stalwarts Mr Devan Nair (former president) and Dr Toh Chin Chye (former deputy prime mnister), who had grown disillusioned with the party they had helped found, to enable the former solicitor-general to take part in the 1988 general elections as an opposition candidate.

Mr Seow was shortly thereafter arrested and detained for 72 days. After his release, he contested the 1988 general elections and subsequently left Singapore. He has been living in the US since.

In the interview, Mr Seow talks at length about Mr Lee and how he instills fear in his subordinates, including cabinet ministers.

On his entry into the opposition Mr Seow said: 

Lee Kuan Yew didn't want me to go into opposition politics because I was his law officer, his top law officer at that time. And if I went into the opposition, what do you think was going to happen? Life can be very difficult, right? So he thought this guy was chicken, we'll put pressure and he'll just ease off...


We will keep readers updated on the developments of Mr Seelan's application for the interview to be rated.

In the meantime, the Government rated the Singapore Rebel, a documentary made by Mr Martyn See about Dr Chee Soon Juan, M18 (for mature audiences) after banning it for several years. But the ban was insignificant as the film had already been watched by hundreds of thousands of people since it first appeared on YouTube.

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Comments (8)
  • quantum
    Is this available on YouTube?
  • seebeng - Marxists colluded with CIA?!
    Looks like Marxist conspirator Ms Teo Soh Lung was represented by Francis Seow who had colluded with the American CIA. Splendid fairy tale spin indeed!

    But knowing what LKY's PAP is capable of doing to hoodwink the people, this web of "intrigue" shouldn't come as a surprise.

    The latest book written by PAP bootlicking "journalists" on our "Men in White" is yet another cock-and-bull story to prettify the dictatorial regime that is steeped in corruption, nepotism and cronyism.
  • vipersonic
    i hope it is
  • greyheyn
    A charismatic and eloquent speaker. His weighty observations and deep understanding of PAP's tactics often cause headaches to Harry.
  • Tan Tai Wei
    Seebeng,
    You may be right about the "bootlicking journslists".

    Notice that at the forum over the book on channel news asia Sunday, persons such as Lim Chin Siong and others in the Barisan Socialists were simply called "the communists" by all discussants.

    And yet, whether they were really communist is surely the key issue in the real Singapore or PAP story, as personal testimonies and recently released documents have unfolded!
  • tangeo
    While many of us know that MIW is just another piece of propaganda, why don't we support SDP and buy their publications? The icon is on the right of the website.
  • seebeng - CNA forum
    Mr Tan,

    I missed it. Is it possible to watch the CNA forum in the Internet?
  • BryanT - ST Forum - "Let them come home"
    There's a posting on STForum today relevant to this topic. It's on the Singaporeans still lodged (or rather, dislodged) in the Betong Peace Village. Have a read.

    I agree with the writer that there can be some reconciliation and we should allow them to return, if they desire.

    But I was slightly disenchanted by two online comments posted thus far.

    [quote]Old and weak. Long lost their ability to think straight. These pathetic "political foes" are a disgrace to themselves to be seen mixing with LKY and his stooges.Shame on you.[/quote]

    [quote]Let's not get overly sentimental and throw caution to the wind. There are already processes in place to bring these men in if they want to after ensuring they are no longer a threat to s'pore. Don't be fooled by appearances.[/quote]

    I think the positions taken by the commenters are too hardline and we need people to unlearn some of the confrontational psyche.

    The ruling parties would be politically challenged to allow their return, eventhough I can see how it can be turned to an advantage (to everyone).
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